BusinessMirror May 07, 2021

New EO on pork tariffs, MAV ‘next week’

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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RESIDENT Duterte may issue the new executive order (EO) implementing the compromised tariff rates on pork imports next week, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said on Thursday.

Dar said the process for the crafting of the new EO started last Wednesday after senators and economic managers forged a compromise deal on the Executive’s twin proposal on pork imports.

Dar explained that the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board is expected to complete its process of recom-

mending the new tariff rates to Duterte on Wednesday.

“From there the EO will be issued, hopefully next week,” he told reporters in an interview on Thursday.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will study and release a new suggested retail price for imported pork to reflect the adjusted tariff rates, which would be 5 percentage points higher than what was prescribed in Duterte’s EO 128, Dar said.

Despite the adjustments both in pork tariffs and proposed minimum access volume (MAV) plus mechanism, Dar said the compromise is still a “win-win arrangement for everyone.”

“Of course, our goal of pulling down pork prices to almost what is possible, given the lowered tariffs, is there,” he said.

Meat Importers and Traders Association (Mita) President Jesus C. Cham confirmed that the current SRP on imported pork may increase by at least 5 percent, but would still remain cheaper compared to fresh locally produced meat.

For example, the P300 per kilogram SRP on imported pork liempo/belly may now range between P315 per kilogram and P320 per kilogram depending on the computation and analysis made by the DA, Cham explained.

The DA disclosed on Wednesday

Friday, May 7, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 205

that the tariff rates on pork imports would be increased by 5 percentage points; it also lowered its initial proposal for minimum access volume (MAV) of 404,000 metric tons to just 254,210 MT. With the compromise, the inquota tariff rate for pork imports until July 7 would be 10 percent while out-quota would be 20 percent for out-quota from the initial lowered rates of five percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Likewise, the tariff rates for the last 9 months of EO 128 or from July 8 to April 7, 2022, would be increased by 5 percentage points to 15 percent for in-quota and 25 percent for out-quota imports.

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SENIORS, UNDERGRADS BOOST LABOR’S RANKS w

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P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 18 pages |

TAPPING PHL ENERGY: THE BALL IS WITH THE COURTS, SAYS D.O.E.

By Lenie Lectura

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HE Department of Energ y (DOE) and the Philippine National Oil Company -Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) are urging the judiciary to help push for the expansion of indigenous energy explorations to secure the country’s future energy supply.

In a recent virtual forum organized by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines, the DOE and the PNOC-EC clamored for the immediate resolution by the Supreme Court of legal challenges pertaining to the expansion of upstream explorations.

“We have to re-emphasize that everything goes together: legal, executive and judicial.

We are pushing for the expan-

Workers refill and reload medical oxygen tanks at a refilling station in Project 3, Quezon City, on Thursday, May 6, 2021. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Sen. Richard Gordon has been reported eyeing the setting up of the PRC’s own emergency oxygen generating plant so that those depending on oxygen can get it, and cheaper, from the Red Cross. There was alarm a few weeks ago when, at the height of the Covid-19 case surge, people wary of hoarders started stockpiling their own oxygen tanks as many patients could not be accommodated in hospitals. NONOY LACZA

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By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

CONOMIC difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have forced seniors and undergraduate students to look for work, local economists said, as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the March Labor Force Survey (LFS) showing an improvement in the jobs sector.

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PESO exchange rates n US 48.0270

@llectura

sion of exploration areas. We are making it more attractive to investors. At the end of the day, the judiciary will be the judge,” said DOE Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella.

PNOC-EC President Lt. Gen. Rozzano Briguez commented that legal challenges hamper the expansion of indigenous energy exploration projects.

“We are looking at a very good prospect. What is preventing us are legal aspects with our laws and regulations.”

Gas supply from the Malampaya Deepwater Gasto-Power Project (Malampaya) is not enough to fuel the future requirements of the country. The government has since been inviting investors to conduct oil and gas exploration activities.

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Mega-vaxx site at Nayong Pilipino stalled

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror & Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

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WENTY-SIX days after the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerg-

ing Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved the establishment of a temporary mega-vaccination center at the Nayong Pilipino property, construction has yet to commence.

The problem, according to government sources who attend the IATF meetings, is that the Nayong Pili-

pino Foundation Board of Trustees has yet to sign a memorandum of agreement with the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF) to implement the project.

The delay on the part of the NPF Board to sign the MOA has already prompted Executive Secretary Salva-

dor C. Medialdea to issue a memorandum to the board on May 4: “[The] NPF, through its Board of Trustees is hereby DIRECTED to undertake any and all acts necessary to allow the DOH [Department of Health] or the NTF to use the NPF property See “Mega-vaxx,” A2

n japan 0.4398 n UK 66.8104 n HK 6.1817 n CHINA 7.4179 n singapore 35.9618 n australia 37.1969 n EU 57.6708 n SAUDI arabia 12.8065

Source: BSP (May 6, 2021)

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Investor reluctance to do exploration activities is seen rooted in the pending case of the Malampaya consortium with the SC for the income taxes questioned by the Commission on Audit (COA).

The COA had overruled the Malampaya consortium’s petition claiming that income tax was already imputed in the government’s 60-percent share in the Malampaya royalties.

The tax, said the consortium, should be deducted from the government’s share of the Malampaya earnings.

Interpretations clash between the COA and the Malampaya consortium with regards to Presidential Decree (PD) 87, or the law that governs the contract between the government and the Malampaya gas project.

The COA had mandated DOE to collect P53.14 billion in unpaid taxes from contractors of the Malampaya . COA maintained there is no provision in the law saying the income tax of the contractors forms part of the share of the government.

Nonetheless, the DOE is doing its part to lure in investors. Fuentebella said the agency has the mandate to explore more energy options for the country for more indigenous energy resources, as well as imported ones like liquefied natural gas (LNG). It can nominate areas for exploration within the country’s jurisdiction subject to the legislative body’s approval.

“We have to tell the judiciary that exploration is also important. The Constitution tells us to explore and develop our own indigenous sources. We need to utilize all our resources as well. The way forward is to develop all options,” said Fuentebella.

Meanwhile, Briguez emphasized the importance of drilling and developing the Philippines’s own indigenous resources. Drilling would allow the country to discover the richness of its natural resources and amplify data collection.

“While we are waiting for the depletion of Malampaya, Malaysia has already discovered seven times more just by drilling. The most important is to make the investment climate to make the operational data enticing. We need a good grasp of prospectivity so that investors will know,” Briguez pointed out.

Malampaya, he noted, has always been cited as a model for shaping the future share of natural gas in the country’s energy mix. It is the pioneer in the country’s natural gas industry.

The DOE official, meanwhile, stressed that Malampaya has become a model for best practices in PPPs through the collaboration between the government and the private sector and has shown the way for the government and the public sector to work together for a clean energy scenario.

“It’s really a long-term process, but we believe the DOE has planted the seeds. We have provided a good legacy for the future administration,” said Fuentebella.

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Furthermore, the DA added that the economic team and the Senate also agreed that the MAV be reduced from 404,000 MT to 254,210 MT. The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (Pampi) urged Duterte “to issue the amendatory executive order as soon as possible.”

“Pampi is pleased to note that when leaders in government and the private sector allow reason to prevail, a rational solution to a controversy can be reached without sacrificing the interest of any party,” the group said in a statement on Thursday.

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ADB nixes cancel-debt call but vows end to coal finance

By Cai U. Ordinario

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@caiordinario

HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) said that while cancelling debts in light of the pandemic would not be possible as it would undermine its credit ratings, the Manilabased multilateral development bank assured critics its days of financing coal projects are now behind it.

In a statement, the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) called on the ADB to cancel debts of developing membercountries (DMCs), especially in light of the pandemic and as an effort to end its support for fossil fuel infrastructure.

In an e-mail to the BusinessMirror, ADB’s Energy Sector Group Chief Yongping Zhai said the last time the bank financed a coal power project was in 2013 and it no longer had any similar projects in the lending pipeline. These are some of the changes that will be forthcoming in the bank’s new energy policy.

“The new energy policy will ref lect the changing energy sector landscape and global climate commitments. It will pr ior it i ze suppor t for t he low-carbon transition in Asia and the early phaseout of coal power plants in Asia and Pacific

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The PSA said on Thursday the country’s unemployment rate eased to 7.1 percent in March 2021, the lowest reported rate since April 2020. The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) improved to 65 percent in March.

However, National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said the uptick in LFPR was mainly due to Filipinos 15 to 24 year olds and those 65 and over who joined and rejoined the labor force.

“These people should just be enjoying their old age with their family or focusing on their studies, yet they are forced to look for work due to circumstances they are in right now,” De La Salle University economist Maria Ella Oplas told the BusinessMirror.

“Probably, the combined financial resources of the household are no longer sufficient for their needs, hence the need for them to contribute,” Oplas added.

Based on data obtained by the BusinessMirror, the LFPR of Filipinos aged 15 to 24 years old and those over 65 years old have been increasing since January 2021.

Data showed that for those aged 15 to 24 years old, LFPR increased to 40.1 percent in March 2021 from 37.7 percent in February and 34.7 percent in January this year.

There are now a total of 8.04 million Filipinos in this age group, higher than the 7.58 million in February and 6.96 million in January 2021.

The increase between

region,” Zhai said in an e-mail to this newspaper. “ T he new energ y policy, which is expected to be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval by the fourth quarter of 2021, will define our position on fossil fuels to support implementation of our developing member-countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement,” he added.

APMDD said in 2019, 16 of ADB’s” low to lower-middle income” developing membercountries paid more than $6.4 billion in debt service payments on public sector debts to ADB. Cancelling these debts could have freed up public money for peoples’ survival, APMDD said.

Zhai said the ADB and other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) welcomed the decision of the Group of 20 (G20) to extend debt service

March and February reached 460,000 while the increase between March and January was 1.08 million.

Meanwhile, the total LFPR for those above 65 years old increased to 36.4 percent in March from 33.7 percent in February and 30.2 percent in January this year.

There are now a total of 2.29 million Filipinos in this age group, higher than the 2.2 million in February and 1.89 million in January 2021.

The increase between March and February reached 90,000 while the increase between March and January was 400,000 this year.

“Definitely. It will even rise as families' savings get depleted because of the lockdown. More and more people of that age will look for work,” Oplas said. “It’s now a family affair to earn.”

Coping mechanism

Former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra said the increase in LFPR was natural given the long lockdown months.

People, Esguerra said, want jobs.

Esguerra said it was “plausible” that Filipinos who joined or rejoined the labor force are looking for ways to cope with their current economic and financial situation.

“One way of coping is to get able-bodied household members to look for work. By the way, if there’s data on school dropouts due to Covid, all the more possible,” Esguerra told the BusinessMirror.

Ateneo Center for Research and Development (Acerd) Director Alvin P. Ang told this newspaper that the situation could worsen but this will depend on how Filipinos adapt to their economic and financial situation, as well as industry's adjustments in the coming months.

Nonetheless, the situation is expected to continue. Ang said as long as Filipinos incomes remain under stress, families will employ various measures to cope.

The situation now already shows the economic scarring and hysteresis that has been talked about in the past few weeks. “[This will continue] hanggang kulang income [as long as their incomes are insufficient].

Kasi even after Covid-19, work may change significantly,” Ang said.

Implications

Oplas explained that many families are now challenged to involve all members in earning

suspension for pandemic-hit lowincome countries.

He added that the G20’s debt ser v ice suspension initiative (DSSI) until the end of this year these countries will still require additional funding for vaccine procurement and economic recovery.

“For ADB, offering any form of debt relief to any of its borrowing member-countries will compromise its preferred creditor status, which underpins ADB’s strong credit ratings,” Zhai said.

“Our strong credit rating is critical for ADB to offer low-cost funding to all borrowing member countries, in support of their development efforts,” he added.

Meanwhile, Zhai responded to the issues raised by civil-society organizations (CSOs) and said ADB spent a total of $4.7 billion to finance various gas projects.

CSOs had tagged gas expansion among the greatest threats to meeting the Paris Agreement goals and averting the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Zhai said the gas projects supported by ADB consist mainly of projects providing energy access for clean cooking and heating; and aim to replace coal power with more efficient and lowemission combined-cycle gasfired power.

He said ADB invested $25 billion in the energy sector between 2015 and 2020. Around 45 percent of the amount was invested in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Another 35 percent was for

projects in transmission and distribution lines to integrate more renewable energy into the region’s energy systems.

Zhai said ADB committed to help developing members access clean and reliable energy for all.

Between 2009 and 2019, ADB’s clean energy financing reached $23 billion and its target is to reach $80 billion in cumulative climate financing for 2019-2030.

“When evaluating natural gas projects, ADB makes sure such projects are consistent with a countr y’s long-term strategic climate and energy transition plans,” Zhai said. “ Tack ling c limate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability, is an operational priority for ADB under its Strategy 2030,” he added.

In a statement, APMDD said for more than 50 years, the ADB has funded projects that led to the displacement of communities and brought harm to health, livelihoods and environment.

It asked ADB to stop funding all fossil fuel projects, noting a growing momentum in the European Union, UK and US to end public financing for fossil fuel infrastructure at home and abroad.

Despite ADB’s pledge to address climate change, fossil fuel generation projects from 2009 to 2018 comprised 50 percent of the total installed capacity of all ADB-funded energy generation projects. More than $8.9 billion went to fossil gas and $2.6 billion to coal.

a living. In some cases, families go into small businesses where a mother would cook the food; children pack it; and fathers deliver the food orders.

She added that many informal jobs are up for grabs, and seniors and undergraduates are willing to take their chances with these employment opportunities.

The economist said many seniors have taken jobs as taxi drivers, which will have an implication on their health since they are more prone to contracting Covid-19.

While it’s legal to hire Filipinos who are 18 years old and below, Oplas noted that employers hiring 15 to 17 year olds may encounter legal issues. These workers may also be exploited.

“Definitely, we are seeing and experiencing the expansion of the informal sector. The problem is that they are not being monitored by the government. Therefore, exploitation is happening, nobody can come to their rescue,” Oplas said.

Meanwhile, former dean of the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR) Rene Ofreneo told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail that younger workers may not be hired outright as workers in the formal sector, especially those below 18 years old.

However, those below 18 may be readily employed by micro and small enterprises that operate semi-formally.

As far as seniors are concerned, the increase in their LFPR is out of “economic” necessity.

Ofreneo said the small “ayuda” provided by the national government during the lockdown may have contributed to the decision of seniors to rejoin the labor force.

“It’s obvious that increased LFPR is more out of economic necessity, [because the ayuda is small and their needs increased],” Ofreneo said, partly in Filipino. “Undoubtedly, most of the elderly participants are in the informal sector, where there is free entry but very poor work standards.”

Action for Economic Reforms (AER) Coordinator Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III noted that while there were more 15-to-24-year olds and over65s in the LFPR, it was a different matter to determine if they did get employed.

However, based on the PSA data, the country's employment rate improved to 92.9 percent in March from 91.2 percent in February. This means a total of 45.33 million were

employed in March.

“So there is an improvement in employment.

But it’s difficult to make an overall assessment if we do not have the data on wage employment. That’s the best indicator of the quality of employment,” Sta. Ana said.

Help extended

PSA data showed the number of unemployed Filipinos reached 3.44 million in March 2021, lower than the 4.19 million in February and 3.95 million in January.

Based on the data, the March improvement in the employment situation led to a net job creation of 2.2 million between February 2021 and March 2021, with the number of employed Filipinos rising from 43.2 million to 45.3 million.

The underemployment rate also decreased from 18.2 percent in February 2021 to 16.2 percent in March 2021, reflecting the improvement in the quality of jobs. In addition, more people rejoined the labor force, with LFPR improving from 63.5 percent to 65 percent.

With economic recovery after the ECQ was relaxed in mid-2020, 11.5 million jobs have been generated as of March 2021, more than offsetting the 8.7 million jobs lost in the period March to May 2020. This translates to a net job creation of 2.8 million jobs.

To help low-income families cope with the ECQ, the economic team said the government implemented a supplemental social amelioration program of P22.9 billion for 22.9 million individuals in the NCR-plus bubble, which includes the adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna.

The government has also lowered tariff rates and increased the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork to address the supply shortage through importation and help curb food inflation.

This measure is seen to benefit 100 million Filipino consumers of pork, especially those who lost jobs or income with the quarantine restrictions.

Lastly, the government continues to intensify the implementation of the Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat, and Recover (PDITR) strategy to reduce Covid-19 cases and allow the lifting of the MECQ status by mid-May. Among the key initiatives are the provision of more isolation and quarantine beds and the move towards automatic contact tracing.

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in Parañaque City for Covid-19 intervention measures, particularly as a site for vaccination center and/or quarantine facility, including the issuance of a Resolution for such purpose and the execution of the corresponding agreement, in a manner that conforms with existing laws, rules, and regulations.” (Underscore theirs.)

The temporary mega-vaccination center, to be developed by the ICTSI Foundation at no cost to the government, is designed to inoculate about 10,000 persons a day. (See, “Drive-Through Covid Shots Available Soon at Nayong Pilipino—DOT Chief,” in the BusinessMirror, April 13, 2021.)

Legal, environmental issues

Despite the memo from Medialdea, the NPF Board, in a meeting on Wednesday, held off from signing the MOA with NTF. In a news statement on Thursday, NPF management, led by its Executive Director Lucille Karen MalilongIsberto, said while the board has already approved the use of the designated lot as a vaccination center it was “seeking urgent clarification from the [NT] and the DOH as to the governance structure for such vaccination facility, as statements by Department of Tourism officials that ICTSI Foundation will operate and manage the facility led to questions about the propriety of allowing a private foundation to use government property contrary to Presidential Decree 1445. ICTSI Foundation is part of the Razon group of companies. Legal issues are being studied to ensure full compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations.” PD 1445 pertains to the auditing code of the Philippines. (Emphasis theirs) NPF also clarified that the lot in question was not vacant, “but has a thriving urban forest that hosts a variety of urban wildlife and is the last remaining grassland in the reclaimed area of Parañaque. The site is a bird flyway network and is close to the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area or protected wetlands under the Ramsar Convention, to which the Philippines is a signatory.”

According to the NPF, the abrupt cutting of close to 500 trees and other site works on the NPF Property will kill the existing ecosystem. “Once lost, it could take decades to recover this ecosystem. A mega-vaccination facility that will destroy this ecosystem would be a disaster and a disservice to the residents of Metro Manila who need more green and open spaces,” the foundation warned.

Palafox: We respect environment

In a text message to the BusinessMirror, Architect Architect Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr., who was hired by ICTSI Foundation to design the mega-vaxx center, said he had expressed “no reservations [in developing the site]. In fact, we are integrating the urban forest protecting and enhancing the environment with our architectural designs and master plan, mega-vaccination center-vaccination courts, and drive throughs.”

He stressed, “We respect the environment. It’s our [Palafox Architecture Group and Palafox Associates] philanthropic architecture. We are working with the Department of Tourism, Nayong Pilipino, local government unit, ICTSI, Prime BMB, Solaire, Megaworld, [and] Entertainment City Association. We are donating our designs for humanity, for our country, and the rest of the world.”

He did share NPF’s concerns “to protect the trees. I’m an architect, also an environment planner. We consulted [DOT] and Nayong Pilipino—we were allocated a limited space away from the trees. We also designed drive-through lanes for vaccination using the roadway. Megaworld allowed us to use their land for parking, away from the trees. We also designated drive-through lanes using the roadway.”

Asked to see a design for the mega-vaxx center, Palafox said. “We are modifying again our designs with the new inputs from other stakeholders we just met."

Onsite quarantine, vaccination facility

The NPF added, it was already hosting a quarantine facility operated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), even as it approved the proposal for a smaller vaccination facility. The foundation is coordinating with the DOH and the AFP “that the building of a smaller vaccination facility in the middle of a surge does not pose risks to patients and staff operating the quarantine facility.”

It warned, “A mega-vaccination center close onsite, next to the quarantine facility may pose a health risk on both healthy individuals securing their vaccines. A careful study of the design and ventilation systems for both are necessary to ensure there is no crosscontamination to take place.”

The establishment of the mega-vaccination center was approved by the IATF and published in IATF Resolution 109 dated April 10, and signed by task force chair Duque and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles as co-chairman. “The IATF hereby ratified the proposal, endorsed by the [DOT], for the construction of free and temporary public walk-in and drive-thru vaccination caters in the vacant portion of the lots located in Nayong Pilipino Foundation property in Parañaque City. The [NTF] Chairperson [Carlito Galvez Jr.] is hereby authorized to enter into any such agreements with the Nayong Pilipino Foundation, or to do and perform all and every act whatsoever requisite, necessary or proper to be done in and about the premises as fully to all intents and purpose as the IATF Chairperson and Co-Chairperson might or could if personally present and acting in person.”

In contrast, government sources pointed out “the vaccination center and Covid clinic at the Luneta is already being constructed,” which had been proposed by the city of Manila and approved by the National Parks Development Committee on April 13.

The Nation BusinessMirror

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, May 7, 2021 A3

AFP bares new defense plan amid incursions

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

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HE military is shoring up the country’s internal and territorial defense with the implementation of a Philippine Marines (PM)-borne operational and fighting concept dubbed as archipelagic coastal defense (ACD) seen as the first line of action and strategy in defending the country’s territory in case of war and armed conflict.

The ACD, which is part of the Philippine Navy’s Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy (AADS), was conceived by the Marines under its current commandant Major Gen. Ariel Caculitan and would become the new operating concept of the PM after it was approved by Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo late last month.

Caculitan presented the concept

Duterte pulls out donated Sinopharm vax from PHL

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

& Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

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RESIDENT Duterte has ordered the pullout of 1,000 doses of donated Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine to China.

During his public address late Wednesday, the President made the announcement apparently to fend off criticisms on why he availed of the Sinopharm vaccine, which has yet to be included in the government’s inoculation drive.

Currently, the vaccines being used by the government are only those from Sinovac Biotech, AstraZeneca and Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

In an interview with PTV, however, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) DirectorGeneralEricDomingosaidthe President may have made the decision to avoid casting doubt on the efficacy and safety of the vaccines, which are currentlybeingdeployedbythegovernment. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, however, said Sinopharm may still be used in the country once it secures an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA. The President decided to get his first jab of the vaccine last Monday after he reportedly grew impatient over the slow processing of an EUA for Sinopharm, according to Roque.

President Duterte was still able to “legally” use the Sinopharm vaccine through compassionate special permit from FDA though.

Domingo explained that unlike the EUA, wherein the FDA will guarantee the efficacy of a vaccine, in the case of a CSP the burden of ensuring of the safety of the vaccine would shift to the doctor who recommended it.

As of Thursday, Domingo said they have yet to issue any EUA for Sinopharm.

‘Let’s abide by vaccination rules’

A CIVIL-SOCIETY network has expressed concern over the inoculation of President Duterte with an unregistered Covid-19 vaccine.

Covid-19 Action Network (CAN), a broad civil-society network consolidating policy gains in pandemic response, stressed that the inoculation of President Duterte with the Sinopharm vaccine, which has no EUA from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), shows “blatant” disregard for the scientific standards and regulatory processes required to ensure public safety in Covid-19 vaccination.

After drawing criticisms for receiving an unregistered Covid-19 vaccine, President Duterte on Monday night said that he had asked Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to withdraw China’s donation of 1,000 Sinopharm vaccines to the country.

of the ACD to the Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy, Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo J. Bacordo, and introduced it as the new Marine Corps Operating Concept (MCOC) to support the accomplishment of the Navy’s various missions. The PM is an operating unit under the Navy.

The ACD defined the tasks of the Marines and how they should operate and adapt to the current and future operational environment, while spelling out how they should be integrated into the naval, joint and inter-agency operations. It principally supports the Navy in accomplishing its mandate and missions.

Over the weekend, Caculitan, who was joined by other military officials led by Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., visited the different detachments of the 2nd Marine Brigade in Tawi-Tawi

for survey and assessment.

Caculitan also visited the Marines manning the Littoral Monitoring Stations (LMS) in all of the islands and islets under the Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga Island Group in south western seaboard of the country to ensure that the capability of the Marines frontline defenders are met when the ACD operates.

Tawi-Tawi is the nearest island province to Sabah, which is a part of the Philippines, but is currently being occupied by Malaysia, which has already considered it as one of its states.

Marines spokesman Major Emery Torre said the visits were also made after Bacordo has given his go signal to Caculitan to implement the new concept.

Under the ACD, Marine operating forces (MOFs) would execute the

strategy through its “seaward, landward, and supporting maneuvers.”

“This concept requires the combination of sensors; command and control; mixed-fires composed of shore-based anti-ship missile system [SBASMS], shore-based air defense system [SBADS], Man Portable Air Defense System [MANPADS], Multilaunched Rocket System [MLRS], and howitzers; coastal maneuver forces; force protection and sustainment capabilities,” the Marines said in explaining the new concept.

The ACD is also seen to boost the operational capability of the PM in defending the country’s stakes against China in the West Philippine Sea, whose islets and other features are being manned by Marines personnel.

While in Tawi-Tawi, Caculitan paid a courtesy call to Governor Yshmael Sali and to the mayors of

Sitangkai, Sibutu, and Bongao where they all talked about the partnership and the need to secure and sustain the development of the sea trade route in the Celebes Sea.

Duterte’s debate challenge accepted

RETIRED Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has expressed readiness to debate with President Duterte over issues surrounding the disputed WPS. In his pre-recorded briefing on Wednesday, the President lambasted Carpio and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario for insisting that he should be blamed for the WPS mess.

The President even claimed that Carpio and del Rosario were involved in the decision to withdraw Navy ships from the West.

Duterte then dared Carpio to a

debate on the WPS, including on the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague where the Philippines won over China’s nine-dash line claim.

The President said he would only ask Carpio three questions, “who ordered the retreat; what did you do after the retreat; we filed a case and won, can we enforce it” during the debate.

“I gladly accept the challenge anytime at the President’s convenience,” Carpio said.

At the same time, Carpio also dared the President to make good of his promise to “resign immediately” if anyone can prove that he was lying when he said that the former magistrate was involved in the decision to withdraw Navy ships from the WPS. Both Carpio and Duterte, who have been engaged on a word war, are lawyers. With Joel R. San Juan

Pandemic whets appetite for illegal wildlife trade, DENR reports

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

HE illegal trade in wildlife is back and traders are becoming bolder, smarter, and more creative. Authorities, however, are not taking it sitting down. A series of operations have led to arrests and confiscations of wildcaught or illegally sourced birds, the BusinessMirror learned.

Emerson Sy a wildlife trade specialist at TRAFFIC, said the illegal activities, such as hunting and trapping, and selling wild-caught birds online, have resumed over the past year, particularly during the pandemic.

“During the pandemic, there’s an increase [in illegal wildlife trade].

Local trade, mostly. Perhaps some people have nothing to do so they started to trade birds and sell online,” he told the BusinessMirror.

saying the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is monitoring their activities, including online buying and selling through social media.

“Mobilit y restr ictions may cause some deterrence to our wildlife enforcers, but these shall not stop them from implementing environmental laws to protect our natural resources,” Cimatu said in a news statement.

Cimatu issued the warning following the arrest of a certain Benjie Saunar for illegal possession and selling of two umbrella cockatoos (Cacatua alba) in a buy-bust operation conducted by the DENR’s Environmental Protection and Enforcement Task Force (EPETF) last April 28, 2021 at a gasoline station in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The operation led to the recovery of a Palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) from the suspect’s possession.

Stern warning

Online trading

@jonlmayuga

T

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, meanwhile, warned unscrupulous businessmen against engaging in the illegal wildlife trade,

Saunar was monitored by the DENR-EPETF operatives to have been selling illegal wildlife species online.

DOJ chief reminds public: Wear face mask properly, avoid apprehension

By Joel R. San Juan

T

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Department of Justice (DOJ) is bracing for a deluge of cases following President Duterte’s order to arrest and detain violators who would be apprehended for improper wearing of face mask in public spaces, a practice by some which may have contributed to the surge of Covid-19 infections in the country.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra defended the President’s directive, saying it was intended to teach violators of “basic” health protocols a lesson and out of Chief Executive’s desire to hasten the nation’s return to normalcy.

Guevarra explained that the President’s latest directive to the Philippine National Police is to arrest individuals caught in the act of violating laws or ordinances relating to basic health protocols in accordance with existing rules.

He said arrested individuals would have to undergo inquest proceedings conducted by DOJ prosecutors.

“The President’s strategy of strictly implementing health protocols, such as wearing of face masks, so that the spread of the disease is put under control and the full opening of the economy is accelerated,” Guevarra said.

Guevarra, however, acknowledged that the directive would likely lead to other problems, such as jail congestion and huge volume of cases piling up in the dockets of prosecution offices.

To address these anticipated problems, Guevarra said the President has instructed the DOJ and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to come up with guidelines for the proper enforcement of his directive.

“As soon as possible, we are drafting it now,” Guevarra said when asked when the guidelines would be released.

He was apprehended in an entrapment operation conducted by the DENR EPETF, in coordination with the Manila Police District Station 8 and Manila District Anti-Cybercrime Team, led by Maj. Reynaldo Salim.

Saunar was not able to present any relevant permits such as a Certificate of Wildlife Registration or Wildlife Farm Permit and Local Transport Permit to support and prove that he is authorized by law to possess, transport, and trade wildlife.

Buy-bust

IN Angeles City, Pampanga, the DENR-Region 3 Office (Central Luzon) announced on May 6 the rescue of a juvenile Visayan hornbill (Penelopides panini) from a suspected illegal wildlife trader during a buy-bust operation in Angeles City.

Laudemir Salac, of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Pampanga said in a statement that they received information about a certain Mike Chua who was reportedly selling a Visayan hornbill.

A critically endangered species, trading of the Visayan hornbill is illegal under Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Act. Staff Sgt. Angelito Tungul, an investigator at the Angeles City police station, said during the operation, they have arrested the accomplice of Mike Chua, who was identified as Norman Vee Balili, 22, of Barangay Malabanias, Angeles City, for selling wildlife without the necessary permit from the DENR. Meanwhile, the DENR is now preparing to file criminal charges against the arrested suspects for violating Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Illegal trading of critically endangered wildlife carries a maximum penalty of four years imprisonment and a fine of up to P300,000.

Smarter, creative

“ILLEGAL wildlife traders are now becoming smarter and creative by using the Internet to sell wildlife and hide this lucrative business from authorities,” he said.

TRAFFIC, which has been moni-

toring online illegal wildlife trade, observed that unscrupulous individuals create “private” or “secret groups” to sell wildlife and wildlife derivatives.

It was learned that traders are also more discreet as they are no longer posting or sending photos to prospective buyers, apparently to avoid arrest by poseur-buyers.

Appeal to netizens

“WE are appealing to the public, especially to all netizens to be more vigilant in the social media against online selling of wildlife,” Salac added.

He also urged to the public to report immediately to the DENR any illegal wildlife selling in their area through their official social-media page at @DENRPENROPampanga or hot line no. 0945-368-5303.

The Visayan hornbill is one of the 11 endemic hornbill species in the country and the latest species to be identified as critically endangered due to hunting and loss of habitat.

This species is found in the forest area of Panay islands, Negros, Masbate, and Guimaras.

A4 Friday, May 7, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

Arta chief presses Doing Business survey methodology review anew

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

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HE Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) flagged concerns on the methodology used by the World Bank (WB) in conducting its Doing Business (DB) survey, reiterating its call for a review.

Arta Director General Jeremiah Belgica said on Thursday there were “inconsistencies with the results of the customer satisfaction survey by agencies against the assessment of the DB respondents.”

“It may have emanated from the fact that the persons who responded to the WB Survey are not the same persons transacting with the agencies/LGU [local government unit],” he explained.

“It may be that the respondents to the survey of WB are officials of the Law/Accounting firms, while persons transacting with the agencies/LGUs

are the liaison officers or processors or clerks or sometimes messengers of the law/accounting firms,” Belgica pointed out.

The Arta director general highlighted the importance of having “clear distinction between the preparation time of the applicant and the processing time of the agencies” as well.

Earlier, Belgica expressed worries that Arta’s efforts in certain areas— Starting a Business, Dealing with Construction Permits, Registering Property, and Enforcing Contract— would not be fully recognized. The agency said that it has elevated its concerns to the WB since last year.

Belgica said the agency was able to move forward with its goal of streamlining and reengineering of government processes and enforcing zero-contact policy despite the pandemic.

These were done, he said, through accessible online government trans-

actions and mandatory setting up of electronic business one-stop shops (e-BOSS) in local governments, among others.

Last month, Arta signed a joint memorandum circular with several agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), ordering LGUs to launch their own eBoss

by June 17.

The eBoss should be able to facilitate online submission of business permit applications; digital payment options; and issuance of electronic versions of permits, licenses or clearances.

According to government data as of April 14, however, only 39 percent or 593 LGUs out of the total 1,516 have automated their business permit and licensing system.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez stressed the accelerated shift to digitalization amid lockdown protocols were imposed as part of government’s

bid to curb rising Covid-19 cases.

“The community lockdowns, limited movement and accessibility, added financial pressures, and drastic changes in work arrangements— these all resulted in major transformations in the business landscape,” Lopez said. “To adapt to the pandemic’s unprecedented crisis, we had to broaden our scope in digitalization and utilize the opportunities from the rising digital economy.”

The Philippines scored 62.8 last year in the DB survey, which positioned the country at the 95th spot.

This is an improvement when the country garnered in 57.68 in 2019 and sat at 124th rank out of 190 countries.

In the Southeast Asian region, the Philippines is at seventh rank, lagging behind Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam and Indonesia. But it is ahead of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Duterte, Saudi crown prince discuss abolition of Kafala system, contagion

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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RESIDENT Duterte has sought the abolition of the kafala system to ensure the protection of overseas Filipinos workers (OFW) in the Middle East during his recent talk with Saudi Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud.

In an online press briefing, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said this was among the highlights of a phone conversation between the two leaders last Wednesday.

“We know that Saudi Arabia is leading the campaign to change the kafala system. So their talk centered on how to strengthen the protection of Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia,” Roque said.

Kafala is a practice in most Middle East nations wherein a migrant worker is required to get a sponsor before they could work

DOLE flags workplace health protocol violations in NCR, CL and Calabarzon

Government told: Buy ‘Pinoy-made’ N PPE, save local jobs, grow economy

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

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HE Duterte administration was prodded on Thursday to take the lead in buying “Pinoy-made” personal protective equipment (PPE) and otherCovid-relatedneedstohelpboostthe country’s economy on its way to recovery.

“Crisis is opportunity,” said Sen. Francis Pang ilinan, even as he struck an upbeat note on the country’s economic recovery from the contagion. “We could still recover economically, generate jobs if we patronize the products made by our own countrymen,” he said in Filipino.

Pangilinan projected an upbeat bounce back note in the wake of reports over 3,500 workers of local PPE manufacturers have been laid off due to lack of demand.

“There is a demand for PPEs,” he said, adding, there’s a local demand for PPE, which local manufacturers could meet.

Heurgedconsumersearliertobuylocal products as a sure-fire formula. “I would like to reiterate my previous pronouncement to buy locally made products to fuel the recovery of the economy,” said the author of Senate Bill 1759, or the Pandemic Protection Act. T he senator reca l led f i ling last August 2020 the proposed

measure which seeks to exempt from taxes on the importation of needed materials for the production of PPE to help lower the cost of production.

It also seeks to exempt the local sales of Covid-response critical products and services from value-added tax.

At a Senate hearing last week, members of the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (Conwep) told senators they had to lay off as much as 3,500 workers in repurposed factories in December 2020.

This, after the Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers of PPE (CPMP) responded to the government’s call in March 2020 to reconfigure their

PHL economy likely still shrank in Q1–experts “The reimposed lockdowns in 2Q21 may complicate the overall growth picture, and the Philippines is likely to miss the 6.5 to 7.5 percent GDP growth target this year after lockdowns,” Roces said.

“We can see first-hand the impact of these lockdowns on the economy with the latest April PMI manufac-

turing index slipping sharply back into contraction at 49.0 after a string of expansion. Meanwhile, the gains on the labor market front will likely be short-lived as factories shutter and the services sector takes a beating yet again,” Mapa said.

“The services sector employs the majority of our work force while also

continued from a10

mirroring household consumption, and should this sector be down, we can be sure that household spending will suffer as well,” he added.

“We will still see positive growth on a year-on-year basis by the second quarter but we may have to pare down our expectations,” Mapa further said.

facilities to be able to produce medicalgrade PPEs locally.

According to CPMP, local suppliers were not maximized in the government’s comprehensive procurement program when they joined in November to December 2020.

Only 27 percent of the government’s monthly demand for cover-alls and gowns, and 69 percent of the monthly mask capacity were granted to local suppliers and were already delivered in January and February 2021, the senator noted, adding, “only P660 million worth of PPE were purchased by the government locally, according to CPMP.”

in the said countries.

The scheme is prone to be abused since the sponsors could exert unreasonable control on the movement and employment of migrant workers.

The President earlier said he wants the scheme to be finally abolished.

He also called for an intensified Philippine-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cooperation to address the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly through vaccination, which was supported by the Saudi leader.

“His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has also called on the leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies to work towards affordable and equitable access to vaccines,” Malacañang said in a news statement.

The Saudi prince also committed that all Filipinos in the kingdom will be included in their vaccination drive.

Both leaders also talked about bolstering economic engagement between the two leaders.

ON-SUBMISSION of monthly Covid-19 prevention and compliance report form is currently the top violation of establishments during the pandemic, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In a report obtained by the BusinessMirror, DOLE said of the 24,695 establishments it monitored from January to April 29, 2021, 2,860 registered this violation.

This prompted Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III to issue Labor Advisory 9 last Monday, which “strongly advised” companies to comply with the administrative requirement.

“Employers are likewise reminded that WAIR Covid-19 form [Workplace Covid-19 Prevention and Control Compliance Report] shall be submitted every 30th of the

month with or without any Covid-19 cases in their workplace to DOLE,” Bello said.

WAIR aims to allow DOLE to monitor if essential measures are being implemented by companies to minimize the spread of infections in their work sites.

Other most common violation of DOLE’s anti-Covid policies is the non-inclusion of Covid-19 protocols to a company’s occupational safety and health program to include Covid-19 protocols (2,076); the absence of the OSH Committee (1,857); observance and strict implementation of minimum health protocols not ensured by safety officers (1,821).

The establishments covered

by DOLE’s monitoring employ over 1 million workers.

Samuel P. Medenilla

PHL among vulnerable to flooding risks–Moody’s Moody’s, meanwhile, identified Hong Kong, Singapore, Denmark and the Netherlands as advanced economies most exposed to rising sea levels.

“Over time, repeated climate-related natural disasters can weigh on investment, productivity growth and economic strength, which can weaken a sove r e i g n ’s credit prof i le,” M o o d y ’s

Vice President-Senior Credit Officer Steffen Dyck said.

“There is also a large gap between financing needs for climate-adaptation measures and low-cost funding sources. This threatens the credit profiles of sovereigns which are highly exposed to physical climate risk, especially those with already low fiscal strength,” Dyck added.

Moody’s said climate trends also risk amplifying existing social pressures by contributing to forced displacement and migration or threat-

continued from a10

ening food security.

Strong economic structures and good quality of infrastructure and health care together reduce the susceptibility to climate change for sovereigns like Japan and Hong Kong, the credit watcher said.

Earlier this year, Moody’s already said that the spike in the country’s cases is also a “credit negative” for the Philippine economy.

Moody’s currently rates the Philippines at Baa2 with a stable outlook. Bianca Cuaresma

Sotto prods regulators on Ivermectin; Customs seizes undeclared drugs continued from a10

Ivermectin is a medication used to treat many types of parasite infestations. In humans, this includes head lice, scabies, river blindness, strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, ascariasis, and lymphatic filariasis. In veterinary medicine, it is used to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis, among other indications.

It is now at the center of a raging debate between health authorities, regulators, policymakers and lawmakers, and health practitioners amid rising claims that it can be used to help prevent and/or cure Covid-19.

Many patients and doctors abroad have claimed that Ivermectin could cure Covid-19, and nearly two dozen clinical trials around the world are ongoing. While health and science regulators earlier said they would rather wait for the outcomes of the major studies, they recently decided, at the prodding of President Duterte, to hold local trials on Ivermectin, for which P22 million has been budgeted.

On the shipment seized Wednesday night, Customs authorities alerted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director Jesusa Joyce N. Cirunay of the Center for Drug Regulation and Research.

In a reply letter to Bureau of Customs (BOC) queries, the FDA said: “At present, the drug is under compassionate use in Specialized Institutions authorized by FDA through the issuance of Compassionate Special permit [CSP].”

The FDA said there are now six hospitals with CSPs to use Ivermectin as treatment for its Covid-19 patients.

The anti-parasitic drug is being pushed by some, particularly by two lawmakers, to help fight Covid-19, despite health authorities’ warning on the need to watch out for long-term effects.

The Philippine Medical Association prescribes Ivermectin against Covid-19 but only in hospitals given the CSPs. “That means we are not stopping the doctors and hospitals that can prescribe it and the hospitals can freely identify themselves,” the FDA said.

In a joint statement on Thursday, members of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against Covid-19 (HPAAC) said claims by supporters that Ivermectin is effective and safe from side effects remain based on “lowquality evidence.”

“Let us not patronize yet the Ivermectin to prevent further risk to our health,” HPAAC said. “We also remind the public that it is not certain whether Ivermectin available now is fake or effective due to its violations of FDA’s regulatory processes.”

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, meanwhile, directed the airport Customs unit “to expedite the processing and release of Covid-19 vaccines, drugs and other medical supplies.”

Recto L. Mercene and Butch Fernandez

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso

TheWorld BusinessMirror

Friday, May 7, 2021

A5

U.S. backs waiving intellectual property rules on Covid jabs W

ASHINGTON—The Biden administration on Wednesday joined calls for more sharing of the technology behind Covid-19 vaccines to help speed the end of the pandemic, a shift that puts the US alongside many in the developing world who want rich countries to do more to get doses to the needy.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the government’s position, amid World Trade Organization talks about a possible temporary waiver of its protections that would allow more manufacturers to produce the life-saving vaccines.

“The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for Covid-19 vaccines,” Tai said in a statement.

She cautioned that it would take time to reach the required global “consensus” to waive the protections under WTO rules, and US officials said it would not have an immediate effect on the global supply of Covid-19 shots.

In a tweet, the director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, John N.

Nkengasong, said the Africa CDC welcomed the waiver and called the decision “leadership in action.” He added: “History will remember this decision as a great act of humanity!”

Tai’s announcement came hours after WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala spoke to a closed-door meeting of ambassadors from developing and developed countries that have been wrangling over the issue, but agree on the need for wider access to Covid-19 treatments.

The WTO’s General Council took up the issue of a temporary waiver for intellectual property protections

on Covid-19 vaccines and other tools, which South Africa and India first proposed in October. The idea has gained support among some progressive lawmakers in the West.

More than 100 countries have come out in support of the proposal, and a group of 110 members of Congress—all fellow Democrats of Biden—sent him a letter last month that called on him to support the waiver.

Opponents—especially from industry—say a waiver would be no panacea. They insist that production of coronavirus vaccines is complex

and can’t be ramped up by easing intellectual property. They also say lifting protections could hurt future innovation.

Stephen Ubl, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said the US decision “will sow confusion between public and private partners, further weaken already strained supply chains and foster the proliferation of counterfeit vaccines.”

Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, chief executive of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization trade group, said in a statement that the decision

will undermine incentives to develop vaccines and treatments for future pandemics.

“Handing needy countries a recipe book without the ingredients, safeguards, and sizable work force needed will not help people waiting for the vaccine,” she said.

Pfizer declined to comment on Biden’s announcement, as did Johnson & Johnson, which developed a one-dose vaccine meant to ease vaccination campaigns in poor and rural areas.

Continued on A6

A6

The World BusinessMirror

Friday, May 7, 2021

India hits another grim record as it scrambles oxygen supply N

E W DE L H I — I n f e c t i o n s in India hit another grim daily record on Thursday as demand for medical oxygen jumped seven-fold and the government denied reports that it was slow in distributing life-saving supplies from abroad.

The number of new confirmed cases breached 400,000 for the second time since the devastating surge began last month. The 412,262 cases pushed India’s tally to more than 21 million. The Health Ministry also reported 3,980 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 230,168. Experts believe both figures are an undercount.

Eleven Covid-19 patients died as the pressure in the oxygen line dropped suddenly in a government medical college hospital in Chengalpet town in southern India on Wednesday night, possibly because of a faulty valve, The Times of India newspaper reported.

Hospital authorities said they had repaired the pipeline last week, but the consumption of oxygen doubled since then, the daily said.

Demand for hospital oxygen has increased seven times since last month, a government official said, as India scrambles to set up large oxygen plants and transport cryogenic tankers, cylinders and liquid oxygen. India created a sea bridge on Tuesday to ferry oxygen tankers from Bahrain and Kuwait in the Persian Gulf, officials said.

Most hospitals in India aren’t equipped with independent plants that generate oxygen directly for patients, As a result, hospitals typically rely on liquid oxygen, which can be stored in cylinders and transported in cryogenic tankers. But amid the surge, supplies in hard-hit places like New Delhi are running critically short.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said India has enough liquid oxygen

but it’s facing capacity constraint in moving it. Most oxygen is produced in the eastern parts of India while the demand has risen in northern and western parts.

K. Vijay Raghvan, a principal scientific adviser to the government, said this phase of the pandemic was “a very critical time for the country.”

The United States, Britain, Germany and several other nations are rushing therapeutics, rapid virus tests and oxygen, along with materials needed to boost domestic production of Covid-19 vaccines to ease pressure on the fragile health infrastructure.

India’s vaccine production is expected to get a boost with the United States supporting a waiver of intellectual property protections for Cov id-19 vaccines.

Vaccine components from the US that had arrived in India will enable the manufacturing of 20 million doses

of the AstraZeneca vaccine, said Daniel B. Smith, the most senior diplomat at the embassy in New Delhi.

Last month, Adar Poonawalla, chief executive officer of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest vaccine maker, appealed to President Joe Biden to lift the embargo on US export of raw materials, which, he said, was affecting its production of Covid-19 shots.

The government meanwhile described as “totally misleading” Indian media reports that it took seven days for it to come up with a procedure for distributing urgent medical supplies that started arriving on April 25.

The statement said that a streamlined and systematic mechanism for allocation of the supplies received

by India has been put in place for effective distribution. The Indian Red Cross Society is involved in distributing supplies from abroad, it said. AP

China suspends economic dialogue with Australia

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EIJING—China on Thursday suspended an economic dialogue with Australia, stepping up a pressure campaign that began over Australian support for a probe of the coronavirus and has disrupted exports to the country’s biggest foreign market.

Relations have plunged to a multi-decade low since Beijing blocked imports of Australian coal, wheat and other goods over the past year. But it has failed to force Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government to offer concessions.

Thursday’s suspension “signals a deterioration of the diplomatic relationship” but is largely symbolic, said Caitlin Byrne, a specialist on Australia’s diplomatic relations in the Asia-Pacific region. She said officials haven’t met since 2017.

“It’s certainly an important and symbolic move, but in terms of substance, the impact here is limited,” said Byrne, director of the Griffith Asia Institute at Australia’s Griffith University.

The Chinese government accused Australia of taking steps “to disrupt normal exchanges” due to a “Cold War mindset and ideological discrimination.”

Beijing will “indefinitely suspend all activities” under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, said a statement by the Cabinet’s planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission.

China holds such dialogues with Australia, the United States and some other governments to discuss trade disputes and other economic issues.

“This is unfortunate. We do need dialogue with China,” said Australian opposition leader Anthony Albanese in Sydney. “It can’t be just on their terms, though. It’s got to be on both countries’ terms.”

China’s relations with Australia, India and some other neighbors are increasingly strained by the ruling Communist Party’s assertiveness abroad, including claims to disputed territory and accusations Beijing tries to influence politics in Australia and other Western democracies.

China blocked imports of most Australian goods last year after its government called for an investigation into the coronavirus, which emerged in central China in late 2019.

Chinese ministers refuse to take calls from their Australian counterparts.

Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan expressed disappointment in a statement.

“We remain open to holding the dialogue and engaging at a ministerial level,” Tehan said.

China is Australia’s No. 1 foreign market, but the sanctions impact has been limited because Chinese steel mills still buy Australian iron ore, the country’s most valuable export.

Last month, Australia canceled two deals signed by the state government of Victoria with Beijing’s multibillion-dollar “Belt and Road” construction initiative on “national interest” grounds.

The Australian foreign minister said the step didn’t target “any one country,” but Beijing warned it might retaliate. AP

‘Get out of Thailand’ campaign revs up as Covid cases surge

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undreds of thousands of Thai students and young professionals dissatisfied with the government’s handling of the pandemic and the slow pace of vaccinations have formed an online group to discuss ways to quit the country for good.

The Facebook group called “Migrate” has garnered more than 800,000 members in less than a week of it being set up. It has become a platform for people to discuss pathways for emigration, with participants seeking advice and Thais already living abroad sharing tips. The US, Australia, Japan, Canada and Germany top the list of destinations that members want to move to in search of a better future.

Much of the private group’s discussions center around better job and wealth prospects that other countries can offer, compared to fewer opportunities in Thailand. For many of the young members, the current Covid-19 outbreak—the nation’s third and the worst since the pandemic

began—and the slow vaccine rollout have fueled anger toward an establishment-backed government which previously rejected their calls for reform with a crackdown on protests.

“In late April, my father died from Covid, and now my mother is in critical care, waiting for a miracle,” wrote Pakpong Phompetch, a member of the group. “I don’t want to be in this country anymore.”

Thai youths and students, who were at the forefront of the street protests last year, have embraced online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Clubhouse audio chat application with a ban on large public gatherings due to the pandemic.

These avenues also played a key role in driving the protests, which also called for monarchy reform and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha’s resignation.

‘Huge disillusionment’

“ T here ’s a h u g e d i s i l l u s i o n m e nt. I t ’s a n

economic, political and ideological response to what’s going on,” said Kevin Hewison, an expert in Thai politics and an emeritus professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“It’s a way of attacking the regime politically by suggesting that there are people who have lost faith.”

While Prayuth hasn’t made any comments about the online campaign, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry said it’s closely monitoring the group and may take legal action against any content that it deemed illegal.

Th e c u r re nt f l a re u p i n co ro n av i r u s i n Thailand, which started early April, has more than doubled the number of cases and deaths.

Th e o u t b re a k h a s t r i g g e re d c o n t a i n m e n t measures on businesses and travels, prompting several downgrades to the country’s growth forecasts this year. The slow pace of vaccination with limited supply may delay an economic

recovery and tourism reopening plans, fueling job losses.

Although some people in the group said that they didn’t have enough funds or the right skill sets to move abroad, others said they have started looking into different immigration programs to apply. The group is planning to launch a website that will compile information about emigration shared among members for the benefit of anyone wanting to leave Thailand.

“It’s a vote of no-confidence by the people,” said Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan U n i ve r s i t y ’s Ce n t e r o f A s e a n Co m m u n i t y Studies in northern Thailand. “The key question i s w h e t h e r t h e s e g l o b e - t ro t t i n g, u r b a n progressives can influence more people to go against the government, and my thought is that they can because this government is showing that it can’t resolve this pandemic.”

Bloomberg News

U.S. backs waiving intellectual property rules on Covid jabs Continued from A5 Moderna and AstraZeneca didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The companies have made some efforts to provide vaccine doses to poor countries at prices well below what they’re charging wealthy nations.

For instance, Johnson & Johnson agreed last week to provide up to 220 million doses of its vaccine to the African Union’s 55 member states, starting in this year’s third quarter, and agreed in December to provide up to 500 million vaccines through 2022 for low-income countries via Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.

Shares of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson—huge companies with many lucrative products—fell less than 1 percent on the news. But Moderna, whose vaccine is the company’s only product, fell 6.2 percent in late-afternoon trading before gaining back two-thirds of a percent in afterhours trading.

It remained unclear how some countries in Europe, which have influential pharmaceutical industries and had previously shared US reservations

about the waiver, would respond.

WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said a panel on intellectual property at the trade body was expected to take up the waiver proposal again at a “tentative” meeting later this month, before a formal meeting June 8-9. That means any final deal could be weeks away at best.

Authors of the proposal have been revising it in hopes of making it more palatable.

Okonjo-Iweala, in remarks posted on the WTO website, said it was “incumbent on us to move quickly to put the revised text on the table, but also to begin and undertake text-based negotiations.”

“I am firmly convinced that once we can sit down with an actual text in front of us, we shall find a pragmatic way forward” that is “acceptable to all sides,” she said.

Co-sponsors of the idea were shuttling between different diplomatic missions to make their case, according to a Geneva trade official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. A deadlock persists, and opposing sides remain far apart, the official said.

T he argument, part of a longrunning debate about intellectual

property protections, centers on l i f t i ng patent s, copy r ig ht s a nd protections for industrial design and confidentia l infor mation to help expand the production and deployment of vaccines during supply shortages. The aim is to suspend the rules for several years, just long enough to beat down the pandemic.

The issue has become more pressing with a surge in cases in India, the world’s second-most populous country and a key producer of vaccines— including one for Covid-19 that relies on technology from Oxford University and British-Swedish pharmaceutical maker AstraZeneca.

Michael Yee, a Jefferies Group biotech analyst, wrote to investors that the key access issues for developing countries aren’t patents or price, but an inadequate supply of the materials needed and the know-how to produce the vaccines and keep quality high— which one of Johnson & Johnson’s contract manufacturers in the US failed to do, ruining millions of doses.

“Manufacturing supplies, raw materials, vials, stoppers, and other key materials are in limited supply for 2021,” and may still be next year and

beyond, Yee wrote. That’s partly because it takes time to make all those components, and Moderna and Pfizer have commitments to buy them “from major suppliers in huge bulk over the foreseeable future.”

He added that Pfizer previously sought authorization to sell its vaccine to India, which rejected its application and asked that additional studies be run. The US, European Union and many other countries have given that emergency authorization.

Proponents, including WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, note that such waivers are part of the WTO toolbox and insist there’s no better time to use them than during the once-in-a-century pandemic that has taken 3.2 million lives, infected more than 437 million people and devastated economies, according to Johns Hopkins University.

“This is a monumental moment in the fight against Covid-19,” Tedros said in Wednesday statement. He said the US commitment “to support the waiver of IP protections on vaccines is a powerful example of American leadership to address global health challenges.” AP

www.businessmirror.com.ph

More than 200 global NGOs appeal for UN arms embargo on Myanmar

U

NITED NATIONS—More than 200 global organizations urged the UN Security Council on Wednesday to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar, saying the time for statements has passed and immediate action is needed to help protect peaceful protesters against military rule and other opponents of the junta.

A statement by the non- governmental organizations said the military “has demonstrated a callous disregard for human life” since their February 1 coup, killing at least 769 people including 51 children as young as six years old and detaining several thousand activists, journalists, civil servants and politicians. Hundreds of others have disappeared, it said.

“No government should sell a single bullet to the junta under these circumstances,” the NGOs said.

“Imposing a global arms embargo on Myanmar is the minimum necessary step the Security Council should take in response to the military’s escalating violence.”

The organizations urged the United Kingdom, the Security Council nation in charge of drafting resolutions on Myanmar, “to begin negotiations on a resolution authorizing an arms embargo as soon as possible.” This “will demonstrate to the junta that there will be no more business as usual,” they said.

Myanmar for five decades had languished under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions. As the generals loosened their grip, culminating in Aung San Suu Kyi’s rise to leadership in 2015 elections, the international community responded by lifting most sanctions and pouring investment into the country. The coup took place following November elections, which Suu Kyi’s party won overwhelmingly and the military contests as fraudulent.

The 15-member Security Council has issued several statements since the coup demanding the restoration of democracy and the release of all detainees including Suu Kyi, strongly condemning the use of violence against peaceful protesters and the deaths of hundreds of civilians and calling on the military “to exercise utmost restraint” and “on all sides to refrain from violence.”

It has also stressed “the need to fully respect human rights and to pursue dialogue and reconciliation,” and backed diplomatic efforts by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and UN special envoy Christine Schraner Burgener to find a solution.

“The time for statements has passed,” the NGOs said. “The Security Council should take its consensus on Myanmar to a new level and agree on immediate and substantive action.”

They said a UN global arms embargo against Myanmar should bar the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of “all weapons, munitions, and other military-related equipment, including dual-use goods such as vehicles and communications and surveillance equipment.” Training, intelligence and other military assistance should also be banned, they said.

Amnesty International’s Senior UN Advocate Lawrence Moss told a virtual news conference launching the statement that many countries supply weapons to Myanmar.

Citing Amnesty’s research and information from other trusted sources, he said Russia has been

supplying combat aircraft and attack helicopters to Myanmar while China has been supplying combat aircraft, naval weapons, armored vehicles, surveillance drones and aiding Myanmar’s indigenous naval industry. In addition, he said, Chinese weapons, small arms and armored vehicles have been diverted to ethnic armed groups, especially the Kachin Independence Army.

Moss said Ukraine has also supplied Myanmar’s military with armored vehicles and is involved in the joint production of armored vehicles in Myanmar, Turkey has provided shotguns and shotgun cartridges, India has provided armored vehicles, troop carriers and naval equipment including a submarine with torpedoes, and Serbia has recorded transfers of small quantities of artillery systems and small arms.

Israel had supplied frigates and armored vehicles to Myanmar along with police training but that stopped in 2017 though it may still be providing surveillance equipment, Moss said. South Korea transferred an amphibious assault system in 2019 but announced a halt to further military exports after the coup.

Human Rights Watch’s UN Director Louis Charbonneau said: “This is the beginning of what we hope will be an escalation of advocacy to make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the Security Council, wringing its hands, sticking with inaction and the occasional statement of concern.”

But getting the Security Council to adopt a resolution authorizing an arms embargo faces an uphill struggle, especially with China and Russia’s general opposition to sanctions.

China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun, whose country holds the council presidency this month, told a news conference Monday that China is “a friendly neighbor of Myanmar” and is putting more emphasis on diplomatic efforts. It is “not in favor of imposing sanctions” which may hinder diplomacy and lead to suffering of ordinary people, Zhang said.

Amnesty’s Moss countered that an “arms embargo would not hurt the ordinary people of Myanmar in any way, shape or form... and I hope that China will consider that.”

Simon Adams, executive director of the Global Center for the Responsibility to Protect, said Myanmar’s “murderous, military-led regime”shouldn’t be allowed to buy bombs or even “camouflage underwear” and “should be treated like the pariahs that they are.”

“I think all of us share concern that the country could become a failed state, armed conflict could intensify, and so an arms embargo now is also a kind of preventive against a refugee crisis that flows across borders in the region, and an armed conflict which serves nobody’s interests,” Adams said.

Myra Dahgaypaw, managing director of the US Campaign for Burma who recalled fleeing from past military airstrikes, said an arms embargo won’t solve all the country’s problems but “it will significantly increase the safety of the people on the ground, including the ethnic and the religious minorities.”

“Today I just want to tell the UN Security Council that the people of Burma need your help, and they need it urgently,” she said. “Please don’t let the efforts, the struggle and the resilience of the people on the ground who are trying to survive go in vain.” AP

UN says 155 million people faced severe hunger last year

U

NITED NATIONS—At least 155 million people faced acute hunger in 2020, including 133,000 who needed urgent food to prevent widespread death from starvation—and the outlook for 2021 is equally grim or worse, a report by 16 organizations said Wednesday.

The report, which focuses on 55 countries that account for 97 percent of humanitarian assistance, said the magnitude and severity of food crises last year worsened as a result of protracted conflicts, the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, and weather extremes that exacerbated “pre-existing fragilities.”

Th e 1 5 5 m i l l i o n p e o p l e f a ce d “c ri s i s,” “emergency” or “catastrophe/famine” levels of food needs, an increase of around 20 million people from 2019, it said.

According to the repor t, t wo-thirds of the people in those crisis levels were in 10 countries—Congo, Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, S u d a n , n o r t h e rn N i g e ri a , Et h i o p i a , S o u t h Sudan, Zimbabwe and Haiti. The 133,000 facing starvation, death and destitution were in Burkina Faso, South Sudan and Yemen.

“The number of people facing acute food insecurity and requiring urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance is on the rise,” UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres wrote in the forward to the 307-page Global Report on Food Crises.

“There is no place for famine and starvation in the 21st century,” he said. “We need to tackle hunger and conflict together to solve either.”

Arif Husain, the World Food Program’s chief economist, said at a UN news conference for the release of the fifth annual report that the biggest driver of food crises is conflict, which accounted for 99 million people in 23 countries facing a food crisis last year.

“Unless we start finding political solutions to conflicts,” the number of people needing humanitarian assistance will keep increasing, he said.

According to the report, 40.5 million people in 17 countries faced acute food insecurity last year because of “economic shocks” including the fallout from the pandemic.

First and foremost, Husain pointed to declining incomes as a result of the 255 million

jobs lost in the pandemic—“four times more than the financial crisis” in 2008. He also expressed concern that the amount of debt taken on by countries large and small to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus “has exploded.”

Dominique Burgeon, director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s office in Geneva, said 60 percent to 80 percent of the 155 million people facing acute food insecurity depend on agriculture, but last year FAO was able to assist only about 30 percent.

The repor t presented some other grim statistics from 2020: 75.2 million children under 5 years old living in the 55 countries were “stunted” in their growth and 15.8 million were “wasted,” or underweight for their height.

In terms of the prevalence of people facing crisis, emergency or famine levels of food needs, the report said Central African Republic, South Sudan and Syria had more than half their analyzed populations at the crisis level or worse, and five countries—Afghanistan, Haiti, Lesotho, Yemen and Zimbabwe—had between 40 percent and 45 percent of their populations at those levels.

Looking to 2021, the report said, “food crises are becoming increasingly protracted and the ability to recover from new adverse events is becoming more difficult.”

“Conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, and largescale economic crises are expected to extend foodcrisis situations in 2021, necessitating continuing large-scale humanitarian assistance,” it said.

The report made forecasts based on 40 of the 55 countries, saying those for the other 15 countries weren’t available.

It said over 142 million people in those 40 countries are forecast to face food crises, emergencies or catastrophes this year. Around 155,000 people are likely to face “catastrophe/ famine” through mid-2021—around 108,000 in South Sudan and 47,000 in Yemen, the report said.

WFP’s Husain said, for example, that providing one single meal per day for a year for 34 million people would cost about $5 billion, saying that the most critical needs are funding and humanitarian access.

“Without that, we won’t be able to save lives,” he said. AP

BusinessMirror

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

66 A-IDEA CONSULTING INC. Rm. 404 Caeg Building Dela Rosa St. Pio Del Pilar Makati City 1.

YANG, KUN-HUA Taiwanese

CHINESE CUSTOMER OFFICER

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1 Pitx Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City 2.

XIE, ZHIJIE Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. B21 Three E-com Moa Complex Harbour Drive Cor. Bay Shore Brgy. 076 Pasay City 3.

DONSILA, PUNYATIN Thai

INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST I

4.

NGUYEN THI THAO TAM Vietnamese

INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST I

5.

PAN, ZHOUCHENG Chinese

INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST I

6.

TRAN THI THU TRANG Vietnamese

INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST I

7.

XU, LU Chinese

INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST I

8.

NGUYEN NGOC KHANH UYEN Vietnamese

INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST I - VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D. Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street Tambo Parañaque City

NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

FAREAST OUTSOURCE PROCESSING INC. 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Nu Tower Moa Coral Way Brgy. 076 Pasay City 36.

FENG, LEI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

37.

HUANG, CHENGBING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

38.

HUANG, JUN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

39.

LI, XUAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

40.

YAN, CONGHUI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. Lot 5 Sta. Agueda Cor. Queensway Pagcor Drive Sto. Niño Parañaque City 41.

AU THANH THAO Vietnamese

COMPUTER SYSTEM ANALYST

42.

KYAN KYAR KHAN Myanmari

COMPUTER SYSTEM ANALYST

43.

LIAO, JIAZHI Chinese

IT TECHNICAL MANDARIN

44.

CHEN, RONGXIAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

45.

XIAO, DAIJUN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

G & O KITCHEN EATERY Unit No. P31-10, 9th Street St. Villamor Airbase Subd. District 1 Barangay 183, District 1 Pasay City WONGWIKARN, WITSARUT Thai

9.

CHEN, ZHIXIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

10.

CHEN, QINGCHAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

11.

GUO, GUANGMIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

12.

GUO, XIAOHAI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

47.

ZHAO, XIAOBING Chinese

MANDARIN GRAPHIC AND WEB DEVELOPER

13.

LI, GANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

48.

NI, YUEYAO Chinese

MANDARIN NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR SPECIALIST

14.

LIANG, HAIJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

49.

WU, DONGRONG Chinese

MANDARIN NETWORK AND SYSTEM SPECIALIST

15.

LO THI TO Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

16.

NGUYEN QUOC DUNG Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

17.

SUWANDI Indonesian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

18.

WANG, GUANXIONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

19.

WANG, YUXU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

20.

WANG, JIACHUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

21.

XIONG, CANHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

22.

XU, JINDE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

23.

YANG, DANDAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

24.

ZHAN, JIONGRONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

25.

ZHANG, LIANGFANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

26.

ZHAO, BO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

27.

ZHAO, YUANBIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM (PHILIPPINES), INC. 23 Citibank Tower 8741 Paseo De Roxas Salcedo Vill. Bel-air Makati City 28.

CHEONG YEE KOK Malaysian

PRESIDENT / GENERAL MANAGER / HEAD OF HUMAN PHARMA

CBS TOTAL CONSULTANCY CORP. 3f Ech Bldg. 100 Jupiter St., Cor. Makati Ave. Bel-air Makati City 29.

SHIN, YONG SOO South Korean

BUSINESS CONSULTANT (KOREAN MARKET)

COLLABERA TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED, INC. U-40 A-d 40/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. San Lorenzo Makati City 30.

VARNE, JAYESH RAVINDRA Indian

DELIVERY MANAGER

CROWNTECH CORPORATION Unit 1203-1204 Techzone Bldg. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. San Antonio Makati City 31.

YANG, HSIEN-CHE Taiwanese

PRODUCT MANAGEMENT OFFICER

DEXIN INTERNATIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT CORP. 534 Tomas Mapua St. 029 Bgy. 298 Santa Cruz Manila 32.

ZHUANG, YONGFU Chinese

CHINESE CARGO OFFICE AGENT

DIGISPARK TECH CORP. Unit 1618 High Street, South Corporate Plaza, Tower 2 26th St. Corner 9th Ave. Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 33.

LI, DEYAO Chinese

MARKETING EXECUTIVE

EAST WEST AGEAS LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION 15th Flr. One World Place 32nd St. Bonifacio Global City Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 34.

SMEETS, DOMINIK JACQUELINE Belgian

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

EXLSERVICE PHILIPPINES, INC. 6th Floor, One E-com Center Harbor Drive Mall Of Asia Complex Pasay City 35.

SHARMA, SHAILESH KUMAR Indian

MANAGERTRANSFORMATION AND SOLUTIONING

46.

HEAD CHEF

HECTECHURE CORP. Units A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a.

Rufino St. San Lorenzo Makati City

INFOSYS BPM LIMITED - PHILIPPINE BRANCH 19th-23rd Flr. Bgc Corporate Center 11th Ave. Corner 30th Sts. Taguig City 50.

VO THI HOANG OANH Vietnamese

PROCESS SPECIALIST

ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 9/f 100 West Building Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City 51.

HAN, BING Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House Magallanes St. 069, Bgy. 655 Intramuros Manila 52.

YE, ZHIJING Chinese

STRATEGIC AND FACILITATION OFFICER

53.

YIN, YING Chinese

STRATEGIC AND FACILITATION OFFICER

KING-MERCHANT BUSINESS TRADING INCORPORATED Unit 2505-f The Finance Centre 26th St. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 54.

WANG, YU Chinese

Friday, May 7, 2021

MANDARIN SPEAKING MARKETING SPECIALIST

KONGANBUDDIES MARKETING INC. 48/f Lower Ground Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a.

Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City

NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

NO.

106.

70.

LIANG, DENING Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

71.

LIAO, WENWEI Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

72.

LIU, JIAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

73.

LIU, YANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

74.

LUO, XUEMEI Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

75.

PENG, CHUNYAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

76.

PENG, XIANZHONG Chinese

77.

107.

NG JIUNN KAH Malaysian

VISUAL MERCHANDISING, MARKETING DIVISION

TOSUNG CONST. PHP INC. Unit No. 701 Flr. No. 7/f Diplomat Condominium Bldg. Roxas Blvd. Cor. Russel St., Zone 10 Barangay 076, District 1 Pasay City 108.

YUN, PILHO South Korean

WELDER

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor. Washington St. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

110.

ZHAO, RUYUE Chinese

BILINGUAL MARKETING SPECIALIST

WANG, SHAOFA Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

111.

CHAU CHIEU LE Vietnamese

VIETNAM-SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER

78.

WEI, BINJIE Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

112.

TRAN THIEN NGHINH Vietnamese

VIETNAM-SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER

79.

WEI, YUNDUAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

XINCHUANG NETWORK TECHNOLOGY, INC. 3rd, 5th-10th Flr. Alabang Zapote Rd. Almanza Uno Las Piñas City

80.

WU, FAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

113.

CHEN, SHIHONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

FENG, XIAOQING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

81.

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

114.

WU, NINGNING Chinese

115.

HE, LIANGZHEN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

82.

XIANG, QING Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

116.

LI, WEIXIONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

83.

XIANG, ZHUAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

117.

LIN, FANGCAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

118.

XU, JUNYANG Chinese

WANG, YANLING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

84.

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

119.

WEN, XIAOWEN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

85.

YAP PUI EE Malaysian

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

120.

XIE, JIEKUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

121.

86.

YIN, MINGMING Chinese

ZHOU, JINHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

122.

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

87.

ZHANG, YANFENG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

BAN, XIAOGUO Chinese

123.

JI, ZHIQIN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

88.

ZHAO, YIHAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

124.

LI, HUOSHENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

125.

ZHAO, ZHUN Chinese

LUO, ZHAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

89.

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

126.

XIONG, JIANSHUN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

90.

ZHAO, QIYU Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

127.

ZHANG, YICHAO Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

91.

ZHU, ZHENGGUI Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

128.

ZHAO, SHENGYI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

129.

ZHENG, JIANYANG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

130.

ZHU, DAMING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATION

NCH CUSTOMER SUPPORT SERVICES, INC. 6f, 7f, Tower 3 West Bldg. Double Dragon Plaza, Edsa Ext. Cor. Macapagal St. Brgy. 076 Pasay City 92.

BERTL, RICK ARON German

CUSTOMER SUPPORT ADVISOR - GERMAN

56.

EDY YANTO Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

93.

RITTNER, STEFFEN German

CUSTOMER SUPPORT TEAM MANAGER - GERMAN

57.

INDAH FANDAYANI Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

58.

SHALY CANDRA VITA ANGGELINA Indonesian

NEWBAY INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INC. 2/f Mezzanine Tower 1 The Enterprise Center 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas Makati City

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

94.

WU, DEYI Chinese

MANDARIN TECHNICAL SUPPORT

NOCMAKATI, INC. 8,9,10,11,12,14,15,16,17,18 & 19 Floors Century Diamond Center Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St. Poblacion Makati City

CHENG, LIPING Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

95.

SOK, CHAN Cambodian

DOU, XURONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

96.

IRVING KHO KHEE POH Malaysian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

ENG WENG SHENG Malaysian

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

97.

MIN, ZI-HSUAN a.k.a.

JERRY MIN Taiwanese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

GAN, GANG Chinese

98.

62.

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

AYU PRATIWI Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

99.

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

63.

GONG, HAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

DEDY SOEDARTA Indonesian

100.

HERMAN Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

101.

IRVAN ALINATA WIRAWAN Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

102.

SANTI Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

103.

CHU THI AI LINH Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

104.

DOAN TRONG SANG Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

61.

SM RETAIL INC. Bldg. 104 Sm Central Business Bay Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

BILINGUAL MARKETING SPECIALIST

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

60.

GENERAL MANAGER

LEE, CHIN-YANG Taiwanese

DELIA PURWASARI Indonesian

59.

DEL ROSARIO, CLARE MARGARET Australian

POSITION

109.

55.

MEGA-WEB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 6,7,8,9,10,11/f Met Live Bldg. Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd. Brgy.

076 Pasay City

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

CAMBODIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

64.

HO KOI LOON Malaysian

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

65.

HOU, JIEJIE Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

66.

LAI, YI-TING Taiwanese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

67.

LEE KOK SENG Malaysian

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

SADGURU TRADERS INC. Unit T 1a West Service Road Sun Valley Parañaque City

68.

LI, KE Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

105.

69.

LI, QINYI Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

SERVICESEEKING MANILA Unit 3001, 3005, 30f Discovery Centre Adb Avenue, Ortigas Center San Antonio Pasig City

LAKHANI, BHAGWAN DAS Indian

YAMATO GLOBAL LOGISTICS JAPAN CO.,LTD U-1004 Psbank Tower Sen Gil J. Puyat Ave. San Antonio Makati City 131.

EDA, YOSHIYUKI Japanese

GENERAL MANAGER - PHILIPPINE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE

ZHENGBANG CROP PROTECTION (PHILIPPINE) INC. Units A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a Rufino St. San Lorenzo Makati City 132.

XIONG, YONG Chinese

GENERAL MANAGER

ZTE PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 1201 & 1202 12th Floor Fort Legend Towers 3rd Ave. Corner 31st St. Bgc, Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 133.

ZHOU, LU Chinese

PROJECT MANAGER *Date Generated: May 6, 2021

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on May 05, 2021, the name of CHEN, SHIH-JU under TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, should have been read as CHEN, SHUI-JU and not as published.

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on May 04, 2021, the nationality of CHANG, YUAN-FENG under OPTIMORE INC., should have been read as TAIWANESE and not as published.

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE-NCR Regional Office located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

Please inform DOLE-NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

DIRECTOR

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A7

A8

Opinion BusinessMirror

Friday, May 7, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Killing the pandemic

I

T is becoming more and more difficult to really understand what the projection is for the Covid-19 pandemic. Globally and in the Philippines, the number of new infections earlier seemed to stabilize.

Then around the middle of February there was a massive jump in new cases, which once again appear to be starting to decline. The solution was that all that had to be done was to vaccinate as much of the population as possible in the shortest amount of time.

Israel, with the second highest percentage of the population fully vaccinated, was the example that everyone should strive to follow.

Israel saw a massive second wave of new cases beginning in December and peaking in early February. But with a wide-ranging roll out of vaccinations, the caseload dropped to only about several dozens per day in a population of about 9 million.

In the past weeks, India has accounted for nearly 50 percent of global new cases on a daily basis. Governments and medical experts have been saying that the only solution is full vaccination. About 150 million shots have been given, equivalent to 11.5 percent of India’s 1.3 billion people. Further, the Indian government has been strongly resisting a national lockdown, leaving decision making to the individual states.

The Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called for a nationwide lockdown. “The only way to stop the spread of corona now is a full lockdown,” said Gandhi on Twitter. He said the government’s “inaction is killing many innocent people.”

The All India Institutes of Medical Sciences are a group of autonomous government public medical colleges of higher education.

Its director, Dr. Randeep Guleria, rejected the night curfews and weekend lockdowns that some states have imposed to bring down the Covid-19 cases, saying they hardly work. Guleria recommended a lockdown for a sufficient duration, which is needed to cut virus transmission. “If we decrease the close contact between humans, there is a possibility that the cases will come down.”

So, lock everyone down and wait until everyone is vaccinated. While being incredibly unrealistic, will it work? Maybe the most prevalent virus of a similar nature is the group that causes Influenza, which ignited pandemics many times in history. Possibly the first influenza epidemic occurred around 6,000 BC in China and descriptions of influenza exist in Greek writings from the 5th century BC. Further, the Influenza vaccine was only 45 percent to 70 percent effective in 2019, and new versions of the vaccine are developed twice a year, as the influenza virus rapidly changes.

Then comes this news two days ago. Seychelles with a population of around 98,000, has fully vaccinated close to 70 percent of its adult population with two doses of Covid vaccine, the most for any nation in the world. The country has closed schools and banned the intermingling of households for two weeks. “Despite of all the exceptional efforts we are making, the Covid-19 situation in our country is critical right now, with many daily cases reported last week,” said Peggy Vidot, the nation’s Health minister.

The good news is that Seychelles Public Health Commissioner Jude Gedeon said that nearly 65 percent of the active Covid-19 cases were those who have not been vaccinated or have received only one dose.

We are left with this conclusion. Vaccination is critical. Following health safety protocols is equally critical. Lockdowns cannot substitute for either of them.

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Two puzzles ADB has to address Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

T

he Asian Development Bank held its 54th Annual Meeting of Governors online. President Masatsugu Asakawa (called by his colleagues as “Masa Asa”) came up with a bold theme for the Meeting: “Re-imagining Asia and the Pacific in a Post-Pandemic World.” The Meeting was accompanied by a three-day conference/ webinar (May 3-5) which dwelt on the topics of Covid-19 pandemic, climate change challenges, and views of civil society organizations on the role of the ADB in a pandemic world. This writer served as a panel discussant in the session on “CSOs’ Reflections on ADB’s Covid-19 Operations.”

The ADB conference/webinar organizers should be commended for the courage to involve the CSOs in a sweeping and open review of the Bank’s operations related to Covid-19 and climate change. Hopefully, the Philippine Central Bank and the

Department of Finance can have the same courage to hold an open, transparent and sustained dialogue with Philippine CSOs on how to address the different pandemics afflicting the country—Covid, climate, debt and inequality.

In the webinar with the ADB, this writer raised two puzzles related to ADB’s actions or inactions on climate change and Covid-19. These are related to the image that the ADB has been cultivating in the region, that is, as a bank “committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.” This is a noble commitment, obviously inspired by the two historic agreements adopted by the UN family in 2015—the Paris Agreement limiting the rise of global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial era and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the successor program for the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

Now puzzle No. 1: Why is ADB, a proponent and funder of renewable energy projects, unable to make a decisive stand on the phasing out of fossil fuels?

One has to raise this question because ADB has been a major sup-

porter of renewables, and yet, at the same time, it is a heavy investor and facilitator of fossil-based power plants. Moreover, ADB has been producing good documents explaining the existential threats posed by global warming and the critical importance for the region and individual Asian countries to meet their GHG-emission reduction targets under the Paris Agreement.

So where does ADB really stand?

ADB announced that it has stopped funding coal plant projects since 2013. However, it is silent on whether it is pushing for the phasing out of existing coal projects. Moreover, CSOs tracking ADB funding for power projects have come up with studies showing that ADB is heavily investing on oil and natural gas projects. This is why the CSOs are asking—which way ADB? Phasing out of fossil fuels—coal, oil and gas —or phasing in of the renewables—wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and so on? Why can’t ADB make a stand similar to See “Ofreneo,” A9

On the ground and afar, diaspora boosts India’s virus fight

By Sudhin Thanawala | Associated Press

I

ndia’s large diaspora—long a boon to India’s economy—is tapping its wealth, political clout and expertise to help its home country combat the catastrophic coronavirus surge that has left people to die outside overwhelmed hospitals.

Around the world, people of Indian descent are donating money, personally delivering desperately needed oxygen equipment and setting up telehealth consultations and information sessions in hopes of beating back the outbreak.

Two humanitarian groups in the US led by people of Indian background raised more than $25 million in recent days to help the teetering health care system. Indian American doctors, hotel owners and other entrepreneurs, some responding to requests for help from Indian leaders, have pledged or donated millions more.

In Britain, volunteers at three Hindu temples raised more than 600,000 pounds ($830,000) last weekend by racking up 20,127 kilometers (12,506 miles) on stationary bikes, or roughly three times the distance from London to New Delhi.

And in Canada, Sikhs have donated between $700 and $2,000 to each of dozens of people in need of costly oxygen cylinders.

The magnitude of the response reflects the deep pockets of many people in the overseas Indian community, as well as their deep ties to India, which have fueled similar efforts to help the country in the past.

“I feel that this crisis has kind of sparked or triggered a fresh and new emotional affiliation to India,” said

Nishant Pandey, CEO of the American India Foundation. The group launched a fundraising drive on April 24 that raked in roughly $20 million in a week, much of it from the Indian diaspora. The money will be used in part to expand hospital capacity and oxygen production in India.

India’s official count of coronavirus cases surpassed 20 million this week, and deaths officially topped 220,000, though the true numbers are believed to be much higher.

“Mother India is in dire need of the non-resident Indians to step up,” Hemant Patel, a hotel developer from Miami, said in an appeal for aid on WhatsApp. His efforts helped generate more than $300,000 in medical donations, he said.

Patel traveled to his hometown of Navsari in the state of Gujarat in March to visit his mother after getting vaccinated and is now serving as a liaison between local hospitals and Indians in the US. He has also donated eight oxygen machines—holding a religious ceremony to bless the first one—and paid to have a van outfitted with a stretcher and oxygen to serve Covid-19 patients.

“God has put me in the right place at the right time,” he said.

Some members of the overseas Indian community have appended harsh words to their support efforts,

accusing the Indian government of botching the fight against the virus.

Others, especially medical professionals, wish they could go to India but face travel restrictions there and new ones in the US, Britain and Canada.

Sunil Tolani, CEO of a hotel and real estate company in California, said he donated $300,000 to help people in India during the surge and lobbied the Biden administration to step up its support. Other prominent Indian Americans have also pressed the White House for action.

“If India would have put their act together, they wouldn’t need this help in the first place,” Tolani said, accusing the government there of “total complacency and incompetence.” The surge in infections since February has been blamed on more contagious variants of the virus as well as government decisions to allow huge crowds to gather for Hindu religious festivals and political rallies.

A spokesman for the Indian government, Prakash Javadekar, said it is ramping up hospital capacity and supplies of oxygen and drugs but is facing a “once-in-a-century crisis.” The US last week began delivering treatments, rapid virus tests and oxygen along with materials needed for India to boost production of Covid-19 vaccines.

Britain is also sending a substantial amount of aid.

More than 6 million people of Indian descent live in the two countries—part of a diaspora the Indian government estimates at over 32 million, including nearly 3.5 million in the United Arab Emirates and just

under 3 million in Malaysia. Donations are pouring in from non-Indians and corporations as well.

Sikhs for Justice, an advocacy group that calls for an independent state for Sikhs in India, said the Indian government blocked its Covid-19 relief website, oxygenfund. org, that aimed to connect Indians who can’t afford surging prices for oxygen to Sikhs in the US, Canada and other countries willing to send them money.

The group turned to WhatsApp and by Monday had managed to provide assistance to nearly 150 people, said its general counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

An e-mail to the Indian Embassy in Washington went unanswered.

The Indian government has classified Sikhs for Justice as a terrorist group and banned it, Anshuman Gaur, India’s deputy high commissioner to Canada, told The Canadian Press.

India is not shying away from soliciting help from its expatriates, continuing a long tradition of drawing on their money and patriotic fervor.

In 1998, Indian leaders urged non-resident Indians to invest in the country by buying government bonds after the US and other nations imposed sanctions against India for conducting nuclear tests.

In 2001, disaster assistance from Indian Americans helped rebuild parts of Gujarat devastated by an earthquake that killed thousands.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent years has encouraged Indians overseas to contribute funds and See “Diaspora,” A9

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Opinion

The lost summer

The diaries of the dying are the thoughts of the living

BusinessMirror

Manny F. Dooc

I

To my recollection, summer has never been this complicated in all the 71 summers of my life. The only change this summer is I’m now making 10,000 steps a day by walking along the corridors of our condo wearing a mask and a face shield. This was alright except that one tenant reported me to the security guard who accosted me and asked me to just do my thing inside my unit or wait until the MECQ is lifted so that I can walk outside the building provided I’ll be doing an essential task. The lawyer in me wanted to argue that it’s a restriction of my freedom of mobility, but I worry that I may get red-tagged. I also open wide the windows in our 38th Floor condo unit to get the mountain breeze blown from across Laguna Bay. The pandemic has stolen our summer and its frolics from both the young and the old. There are many things we look forward to during summer. Travel. Family vacation. Summer camp. Workshop. Family reunion. School get-together. Sports activity. Fiesta. Summer festival. And many more. Even the long school holiday, which used to start at the end of March and wind up in the first week of June, has been changed. Now, classes in public schools end in June and will reopen on August 23 as announced by the DepEd. The long school break is no longer “fun months”. July and August have heavy rainfall and people stay indoor to avoid floods, landslides and calamities. The pandemic and new school calendar have conspired to kill the thrill of summer.

Back in the province where I was born and grew up, summer was the biggest sporting event in the country.

Who would forget the heroes of the Tour of Luzon—Rodrigo Abaquita, Jose Moring, J., Jose Sumalde, Jess Garcia and Cornelio Padilla? Our province hosted summer basketball tournaments with participating teams from all the towns. The star players became sports idols. Some of them even became big players in the MICAA and PBA like Atoy Co and Yoyoy Villamin. Summer is the season for “senakulo” and “penitensya” where the pain and suffering are replaced by the joy of Easter and the gaiety of “Flores de Mayo”. It is also “fiesta” time in many villages that showcased the native cuisine and where guests were treated to delightful carnivals, sports fests and variety shows featuring local and imported performers from the big cities. Popular bands as far as Malabon, Cavite and Navotas provided the music to keep the dancers swaying and swooning all night long.

The rite of circumcision, which promotes a child to manhood, occurs in summer. In the olden days

Diaspora. . .

continued from A8

expertise to his sanitation initiatives in India.

During the current crisis, Indian consulate officials reached out to the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, which responded by raising more than $2 million in about a week, President Sudhakar Jonnalagadda said.

The group, which represents more

when the procedure was done by the neighborhood barber, the ritual was concluded by chewing guava leaves and jumping into the river. It was done in a group so that no one could fake it. One had to have it or he would not belong to the group.

Summer is not complete unless one has engaged in an adventure, one form or the other. He could do mountain climbing, forest hiking, river cruising, or jungle survival. Or he could join summer camps or workshops (sports, arts and culture, drama and acting). The most tragic is attending summer classes to make up for failed subjects, although it could be fun meeting new friends who are all “bulakbol” in class. One does not have to spend a fortune to have a memorable summer. We had a picnic in the nearby beach, river or even in the irrigation canal just to get relief from the blazing heat of the sun, and brought food that we cooked at the place. One could always travel to Baguio, Tagaytay or Boracay with family or friends if your budget permits. Otherwise, you could always visit your folks in the province who could provide you free board and lodging. Enjoy the natural wonders of the place. Discover its hidden paradise. If you have no travel money, nowadays with mushrooming malls, one can troop to the well air-conditioned mall to do window-shopping, people watching, or just cool yourself. In your neighborhood, many households sell “ halo halo” or ice-candy, which sells like hotcake. And you can relish them outside your yard al fresco.

In our town, it was a custom to serenade a “bakasyonista” from Manila or other places. Normally they are young coeds visiting their relatives or joining their classmates in our place during school break. All you needed was a guitar and a songbook where you could mimic Cenon Lagman, Ruben Tagalog and Ric Manrique. After the introductory serenade, you could already visit and court the “ bakasyonista”, which culminates by inviting her to the Summer dance at the town plaza. And your summer is made unless she is chosen as a “sagala” in the “Santacruzan” where she could attract a lot of suitors.

You don’t have to go to a worldheritage site to spend your summer. Every place has its own corner of Eden. You just have to find it. Summer is pure fun and adventure. There is something for everyone during summer. Don’t let it pass without fun. Even during the age of pandemic. Summer is one of the casualties of Covid-19. Lost summers will not come back to us but we will survive this lonely summer and this dreaded disease. Promise me that we will meet in June when summer is gone. than 80,000 doctors in the US, has used the money to buy oxygen concentrators and plans to expand a telehealth network to allow patients in India to consult with physicians in the US. The virus’s rapid spread in India has left few people in the diaspora untouched by tragedy. Sajal Rohatgi, co-founder of Subziwalla.com, a USbased South Asian grocery delivery service, said dozens of friends and family in India have contracted the virus and two have died.

A9

Tito Genova Valiente

TELLTALES t’s summertime and the allure of the islands and the marvelous beaches beckons us. It’s time to unwind and escape from the stress of work, school and house chores. As the song says, it’s the moment to breathe the summer wind blown from across the sea and stroll the pristine sand beneath our feet in Boracay or Bagasbas Beach. Or relish the cool mountain breeze of Baguio or Tagaytay to beat the scorching heat. Summer has so much to offer and is a muchawaited break from our routine and dreary life. But how do we enjoy summer if we cannot even leave the confines of our homes? Last year, we spent summer dipping our head in the bathtub and making 5,000 steps walking briskly inside our yard, or walking back and forth around the living room of our condo.

Friday, May 7, 2021

annotations

A

person I knew passed away this week.

Another person had called my attention to look at his online postings. He seemed sick, this other person said.

A series of prayers and expressions of gratitude filled his space online. Fruits, food and medicine were being delivered to him. These gifts and words of encouragement he accepted as enough to make him well.

In between those photos of food supplement, antitussive and vitamins, he was sharing the temperature readings from his thermometer.

They were all low-grade fever.

This went on, I believe, until one morning, there was a selfie of him now fitted with tube connecting to an oxygen.

As fate and privilege would have it, a friend who is a doctor monitored his status in the local hospital. It was Friday he was admitted; by Saturday, the doctor attending to him had the word “critical” appended to his case. That same day, he had a heart attack. It was early evening when I called up a friend to tell him that I am using that prayer book to St. Joseph, which he shared with me. This friend then said, yes, I will pray for his recovery also.

By the time we finished our prayers, a message came from our doctor friend to tell us that he expired already.

I am using the word, expire, because the real direct word about death is always difficult to utter. In reality, our doctor friend used that word – died. But, as with many of us, we seldom use this word.

My narrative is not singular; in fact, for many of you reading this account, you might as well be partaking of the same experience when this virus hit your family or circle of

acquaintances and friends.

Reading the word, “died,” makes you pause, not to think but merely to stop. That verb has a command that urges things, objects, and events to cease. An event is terminated; a process is concluded. Life, like a game, is over.

In an accident, which is another way to quick death, we do not stop breathing when the news reaches us. There is an immediate anger at the one who caused the death. There is someone—something to blame: a machine falling upon a person, a boat capsizing, the waves so big they swallowed everyone, a car running so fast and a driver who would not care even to stop.

Contrary to what we feel always that we cannot predict an accident, we can always cope with the senselessness of it, its total lack of foreboding, its absence of warning. The very speed by which life is snatched from a living entity when in the morning, this person was strong and in the pink of health is in itself a reason for us not to be allowed a denial. Accidents are accidents; they came with our birthrights.

With a debilitating disease, we are given much time to ponder about recovery, to be conscious of what we can do to the loved ones now suffering a particular ailment. Terminal afflictions, for all the sorrow they bring upon those actively observing the gradual weakening of a body, does not terminate our humanity, as we become stronger with hope and as we open ourselves to the imponderable, like miracles.

But death from a virus that appears to creep unseen around us, enters our body without our knowing it, with no sign that a pact between living and dying has already been sealed, is a different matter. We are learning to contend with it – the virus as the most personal emblem of this disease and the pandemic, which is the grand, monumental picture of how the human group has succumbed weak and defenseless before the phenomenon of contagion and contamination. But we do not learn.

Perhaps, learning is not even the appropriate word, but contending— how an individual in days can quickly move from coughing, breathing heavily, and then—intubated—wait for a death sentence. The medical persons can assure the patient that there are medicines and that they would do everything in their means. And yet, at a certain point, they would connect the person to tubes and, as those who had gone through this stage would say, fight for survival even as you remain suspended between losing your heartbeat and catching your breath.

Then death quickly comes. Forget the 14 or 15 days because they do not matter. Those are days when the fever goes unabated, when the headache comes and the coughing is incessant and mean, and the senses

of taste and smell vanish. After this, there are only two ways to go: to recover or to die.

Not pass away, but, this time, to die. Then dreams go, and plans vanish. The house is left unattended. The flowers are left to decay; the books are surrendered to dust. The obligations are lifted. Your space in this world removed.

Those living take over. They begin their memories and tributes, their reminiscent always including their own graces and achievements with the person who has passed on.

The words, eloquent, soaring and, strangely enough, never lapidary, for they are really for the living. The dead have no use for poetry and prose, come to think of it. We the living are the ones vetting our capacity to assure those who have gone on that we are able to remember, which is easy, and to love forever, which is most difficult.

We, in the saddest evolution of our human emotions, take it upon ourselves to try to continue the life of persons who have departed even though that would be cruelty to us, destined to either survive this pandemic, and continue living until our own stars have willed our passing.

penditure Support. Originally given and Social Commission for Asia and a seed fund of $6.5 billion, CARES the Pacific (ESCAP) reported that all immediately grew to a huge $20 of Asia, without any exception, was continued from A8 billion health armament. And yet, on track not to meet the SDG tarwhen Asian countries began troopgets. All of Asia failing to meet SDG that taken by the European Investing to ADB for loans, there were no targets! Under the SDG system, UN ment Bank (EIB): no more coal, no indications that the SDG framework member-countries are supposed to more oil, and no more natural gas? was adopted as a guide. Unlike the achieve by 2030 zero hunger, zero Obviously, it is difficult for the hesitation ADB demonstrated durpoverty, healthy lives for all, incluJapanese leadership of the Bank to ing the 1997-1998 Asian financial sive and quality education for all, make a blanket and sweeping deccrisis (when the International Mongender equality, secure water and laration ala-EIB by withdrawing etary Fund was foolishly insisting on sanitation for all, affordable and all support to fossil fuels—coal, oil a policy of austerity for all), the ADB sustainable energy for all, sustainand gas. In the last five decades, the this time willingly facilitated the apable industrialization and innovaADB played a major role in building proval and releasing of CARES loans tion, decent work for all, reduced a galaxy of fossil-based power projto different countries in record time. inequality, resilient and sustainable ects around the region with the help But there are no indications in the habitat, sustainable consumption of big Japanese banks, Japanese enloan agreements, at least in the case and production, affirmative action gineering firms and corporate partof the Philippines, that a system of on climate change, sustainable use ners from Japan and other countries. rigorous monitoring on the uses of of oceans and marine resources, These co-financiers are naturally the so-called ADB “budgetary supsustainable forest management and interested in keeping the status quo. port” for national recovery. Thus, use of terrestrial ecosystems, peaceBut given the existential threat posed in the Philippines, the ADB simply ful societies and justice for all, and by climate change to Asia and the accepted and adopted the rationale partnership for sustainable developrest of the world, the challenge to given by the government for the ment. These 17 SDGs are interrelated the ADB leadership is how to make a four pillars for national recovery, and require a holistic and coherent decisive and resolute decision in supnamely: a) re-building the health program of implementation. port of what the world is demanding sector, b) amelioration assistance to In Asia, the failure of many counthrough the Paris Agreement, that is, the vulnerables, c) relief to small and tries to meet SDG targets is due to the push Asia towards zero GHG emismedium businesses, and d) liquidity obsession of governments to achieve sions by crafting and implementing support to the financial system. higher GDP numbers without paying an energy transition program.

As it turned out, per monitoring attention to the issues affecting the Making the energy transition is by the CSOs (e.g., Social Watch, Ibon, general population, especially those not easy. But things can be made FDC) and academe (Ateneo, UP), the at the grassroots, such as access to easier if the ADB can mobilize reimplementation of the foregoing health, education and basic services sources in support of accelerated four-pillar program for the entire as well as the challenge of making energy transformation and transiyear of 2020 failed to meet the resocio-economic development inclution programs, in close consultation covery goals of the nation and the sive and equitable, with “no one left with the civil society movement. It salvation of the masses. The probehind,” as the UNDP keeps repeatis in these transformation-transition gram was littered with weaknesses. ing. With the Covid pandemic, the areas where ADB materials and proThese include, among others, the need to align policies on economic grams are clearly wanting. following: the broken health system recovery and strengthening of the Now on puzzle No. 2: Why is health system in response to the Cowas bogged down by corruption in ADB unable to provide leadership vid virus spread has become clearly expenditures, lack of transparent and guidance to the borrowing counand doubly important. health governance and incoherent tries in relation to the latter’s reIt is in this issue of policy alignhealth/medical response to the Covid sponse to the Covid pandemic? Spethreat; the distribution of amelioraing, that is aligning terms of borrowcifically, why has ADB, a proponent tion assistance for the poor excluded ing in the name of national recovery of SDGs, failed to calibrate or align many vulnerables such as the migrant and resiliency building with the SDG the terms and conditions of Covid workers and those with no permanent framework that the ADB is failing. loans with the SDGs? addresses; the amelioration package, A brief backgrounder: In response Certainly, the ADB SDG specialgiven once or twice, was not even to the pandemic, the ADB quickly ists are well informed about the weak enough to sustain the needs of a fampackaged a program dubbed as CARES performance of Asia when it comes ily of five for a week or two; the number or Covid-19 Active Response and Exto SDGs. In 2019, the UN Economic

of beneficiaries for the relief given to the displaced businesses and workers was way too small compared to the targets; and there was no clear and transparent reporting on how funds were used in providing liquidity to the financial system.

Now what has ADB got to do with all of this? A lot even if it is undeniable that it is the responsibility of every country to manage its economic and political affairs. First, as a financial institution, ADB is in a position to influence the directions of change, especially on projects necessitating financing. Secondly, as a development institution, ADB is also in a position to persuade a borrowing country on the guideposts that should be used in the crafting and implementation of development projects. Thirdly, the loans being contracted by the government are not ordinary loans; they are loans meant for the recovery of the whole economy.

What then is missing in the ADB’s CARES loan to the Philippines (and probably to other Asian borrowers)?

It is the failure of ADB to link spending of Covid loans to the realization of the SDG targets as part of the overall development framework. In the Philippine loan agreements, no such linkage was mentioned—except for one bland statement that the CARES loans are consistent with the ADB’s SDG program. In fact, the focus of the government was simply to go back to the old normal, as if this is the only way forward.

The truth is that Covid times are an opportune time to re-think development plans in support of more inclusion, more people participation, more environmentalism. The SDG framework can be a good guide for ADB and its partner governments in Asia in this much-needed re-thinking process.

Ofreneo. . .

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo is a Professor Emeritus of University of the Philippines.

For comments, please write to reneofreneo@ gmail.com.

A10 Friday, May 7, 2021

PHL among vulnerable to flooding risks–Moody’s

T

HE Philippines has been flagged as one of the countries in the world with the biggest flooding risk, Moody’s Investors Service said in a recent climate change review on sovereigns across the world.

This particular physical climate change risk, Moody’s said, is a credit negative risk for the sovereign.

Credit negative for sovereigns usually means that a further deterioration of these conditions may lead to a downgrade in the country’s current credit standing.

“Many countries are exposed to at least one climate hazard, with emerging markets generally more likely to face multiple challenges than advanced economies.

Sovereigns in Asia Pacific stand out for their exposure to flood r isk—highest for Ca mbod ia, the Philippines and Thailand,” Moody’s said.

According to Moody’s physical climate risks are credit negative for sovereigns as weaker economic activity due to increasingly frequent climate-related events will likely weigh on fiscal revenue and may lead to an increase in transfer payments and welfare expenditures, particularly in the event of climate shocks.

Continued on A4

PHL economy likely still shrank in Q1–experts

P

By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

RIVATE economists are forecasting a further contraction of the local economy in the first three months of the year, albeit at a slower rate compared to the slump seen in the previous quarter.

Security Bank Corporation Chief Economist Robert Dan Roces said the Philippines’s gross domestic product (GDP) likely contracted by 5.1 percent in the first quarter of the year.

ING Bank economist Nicholas Mapa, meanwhile, forecasted a softer contraction for the period at 3.5 percent.

The fourth quarter GDP contraction in 2020 hit 8.3 percent, resulting in a full-year contraction of 9.6 percent.

Roces said his forecast is based on the observed improvements in the purchasing managers index (PMI) in the first three months of the year. It is balanced, meanwhile, by the unemployment rate which averaged above 8 percent or still as elevated as of the fourth quarter of 2020.

“Coming into 2021, the deep scarring from the previous year may have continued to soften household consumption with inflation going up and

mobility remaining below the pre-pandemic levels [even before the reimposed ECQ], while both imports and exports slowly contracted in the first months,” Roces said.

The country’s PMI, which is a measure of the country’s manufacturing sector, averaged at an index of 52.2 in the first three months of the year.

A country’s PMI is meant to gauge the health of its manufacturing sector. It is calculated as a weighted average of five individual subcomponents.

Readings below 50 show deterioration in the industry while readings above the 50 threshold signal a growth in the manufacturing sector.

In April, however, the country’s PMI fell below threshold to an index of 49.0 due to the renewed lockdowns to curb the rising Covid-19 cases.

Mapa echoed this view, saying base effects and the manufacturing sector

buoyed the economy at the start of 2021. What weighed on the economy, Mapa said, is the still-timid household consumption during the period.

“Domestic consumption remains one of the key sectors of the economy and we expect this sector to have been challenged at the start of the year. Labor market data recently released showed unemployment improved slightly by March but was for the most part still elevated compared to year-ago levels,” Mapa said.

“High levels of both unemployment and underemployment translate to depressed consumption all the more compounded as inflation rose to 4.5 percent in the period. Consumer confidence remains deep in the red and this will be telling in the coming months,” he added.

For the coming quarters, Roces said growth is expected to “improve gradually” on rising business and consumer confidence, likely from a wider vaccination rollout and infrastructure spending.

“Elections spending should also play some part, although the pandemic may present a shift in how this type of spending is conducted,” Roces said.

Both economists, however, warned that the resurgence of Covid-19 cases is a solid threat to the recovery of the Philippine economy.

Continued on A4

SOTTO PRODS REGULATORS ON IVERMECTIN; CUSTOMS SEIZES UNDECLARED DRUGS

S

ENATE President Vicente Sotto III prodded reg u l ators on Thursday to make Ivermectin, the anti-parasitic drug widely used to prevent and cure Covid-19 despite threats by authorities, more available to the public.

He threatened to deliver a privileged speech and call for a Senate inquiry to find out why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was taking too long to approve Ivermectin among medicines prescribed to treat Covid-19.

Sotto, who recently admitted he himself takes Ivermectin to protect himself—he physically comes to the Senate daily despite infections being reported there—is also keen to know why FDA allowed only a few hospitals to use Ivermectin even as its efficacy has been proven in other countries that vouched for Ivermectin.

The FDA recently gave six hospitals a Compassion ate Spec i a l Per m it which allows these to pre-

scribe Ivermectin for Covid-19 patients.

Sotto, 73, added he himself could serve as "exhibit A" to vouch for the drug, saying he takes Ivermectin once every two weeks to prove the drug has "no adverse effect" on him as he remains "fit and healthy."

Customs seizes Ivermectin

MEANWHILE, some 20,000 capsu les of undeclared regulated drugs from New Delhi, India, including the controversial drug Ivermectin, were seized Wednesday night by airport customs officials.

Imported by Finstad Inc. the shipment, declared as food supplement and multivitamins, were delivered at the Paircargo warehouse.

Customs examiners said that the undeclared Ivermectin and the other regulated drugs were concealed in the inner portion of the shipping package, while covered with other regulated drugs.

Continued on A4

Companies BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

San Miguel income in Q1 gets lift from oil, food units

C

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

onglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Thursday said its income in the first quarter soared to P17.17 billion, almost a 15fold increase from the previous year’s P1.09 billion despite the decline in its revenues.

Net sales fell by 6 percent compared with the 15-percent drop recorded a year ago as almost all its major businesses saw significant recoveries. In the first quarter, net sales reached P201.16 billion, lower than the previous year’s P214.06 billion.

“We’re encouraged by these improvements, as they reflect that our businesses are definitely headed towards full recovery. Despite the challenges ahead, we’re determined to sustain our performance and con-

tinue taking on meaningful projects and investments that will help our economy recover,” said SMC President and COO Ramon S. Ang. With lower raw material costs and effective cost-saving efforts, consolidated operating income reached P32.2 billion, almost a three-fold increase from the previous year.

San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc.’s income for the period jumped 66 percent to P9.67 billion from the previous year’s P5.82 billion due to

the all-time high volumes from the liquor unit and higher sales from the food and beer divisions.

SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. reported an income of P7.77 billion, more than double of last year’s P3.22 billion. Revenues, meanwhile, slid 3 percent to P27.4 billion from the previous P28.29 billion. It had off-take volumes of 6,344 Gigawatt hour for the period, down by 5 percent from the previous year, mainly due to continuing quarantine restrictions and lower spot sales, which were mitigated by higher average realization prices.

Operating income year-on-year grew 8 percent to P8.4 billion, brought about by lower fuel costs and operating expenses.

Petron reported a net income of P1.7 billion, a turnaround from the P4.87-billion net loss in the first quarter of last year. Sales volumes continued to decline, posting a 20-percent fall during the period to P83.3 billion from the previous year’s P104.62 billion. It had volumes of 19.4 million barrels, 21 percent lower

than the 24.7 million barrels sold in the same period in 2020.

SMC Infrastructure’s income from operations slid 33 percent to P1.18 billion from the previous year’s P1.77 billion. Revenues for the first quarter stood at P4.3 billion, down 7 percent from the same period last year of P4.66 billion.

Average daily traffic has been improving since December despite prevailing travel restrictions. South Luzon Expressway and Star or the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road tollways registered higher average daily traffic volumes compared to the first quarter of last year.

SMC reported in March that its net income for 2020 reached P21.88 billion, down by more than half from the previous year’s P48.57 billion, as revenues plummeted to below P1 trillion.

Its annual sales last year fell drastically due to the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. The company said its revenue fell 29 percent to P725.79 billion from the previous year’s P1.02 trillion.

KTM eyeing to sell 3K motorcycles

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

T

he local dealer of Austrian motorcycle brand KTM is targeting to sell nearly 3,000 units and open new dealerships in the Philippines this year.

Adventure Cycle Philippines Inc. (ACPI) President and Chief Operating Officer Andre Angelo Santos told the B usinessM irror that KTM 200 Duke, KTM RC200 and Husqvarna Svartpilen 200 are likely to drive sales this year.

“However, we are seeing a swing in demand to the 400cc models, such as the KTM

390 Adventure, KTM 390 Duke, and Husqvarna Svartpilen 401,” Santos said.

Santos said the company’s mid-size displacements banks are also “picking up.” These models are KTM 790 Adventure R, KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Duke.

All the models mentioned are manufactured locally, he said.

“This year, we are looking to open three dealers while converting 15 existing stores to carry KTM and Husqvarna Motorcycle brands,” Santos said.

The ACPI chief said the firm currently has 40 dealerships across the country, two of which were opened last year.

MVP names Al Panlilio as new PLDT chief exec

M

anuel V. Pangilinan is retiring as president and CEO of PLDT Inc. He will be replaced by chief revenue officer Alfredo S. Panlilio.

Pangilinan, who is turning 75 this year, will remain as the group’s chairman, subject to the approval of the shareAl Panlilio holders.

“I think, in the annual shareholders of PLDT this year is scheduled next month, I will retire as president and CEO of PLDT and pass the baton over to Al so I will stay as chairman, of course subject to shareholders’ consent to do that,” he said during the first quarter results briefing of the company.

Pangilinan first floated the idea of stepping down as president and CEO in 2019. He said back then that his metric for handing over the post is for the company to achieve steady growth and stability.

PLDT Inc. booked a telco core income of P7.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021, a 9-percent improvement from the P6.9 billion registered the year prior.

This, as service revenues grew by 8 percent to P44.8 billion from P41.5 billion, mainly driven by its wireless business.

In terms of verticals, its individual consumer business booked a 7-percent increase to P22.1 billion, while its home business rose by 19 percent to P10.9 billion.

The enterprise vertical also grew by 4 percent to P10.3 billion, while its international business declined by 7 percent to P1.5 billion.

Pangilinan described these results as “pretty good,” noting that this performance was close to how the company performed in the fourth quarter of 2020, which was generally the most profitable quarter for PLDT. “We’re on target of our telco core income for the year of P29 billion to P30 billion—most likely we will achieve the higher end of that telco core income target. Revenues are looking good for April and the first week of May. Revenues for the second quarter will likely be similar if not higher than the revenues in the first quarter,” he said.

The company is spending between P88 billion and P92 billion in capital expenditures this year, as it continues to build its mobile and fixed line networks.

The capital expenditures for 2021 include the deployment of 3,800 5G base stations, 4,000 4G base stations, 1.7 million fiber to the home ports, and 125,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables. Lorenz S. Marasigan

As for exports, the KTM distributor expects to ship between 8,000 to 10,000 units this year.

Santos narrated that last year was challenging for the company as it had to close stores during “some of the best riding months” amid the lockdown protocols implemented due to pandemic, negatively affecting sales.

The restrictions in mobility were also a bane for the logistics, he said, noting that transporting bikes and parts was more difficult.

“Thirdly, with the uncertainty of the situation, in general, many people are opting to hold off on any big purchases for now, which includes forms of transport,” Santos said.

“However, upon lifting of the lockdowns,

we saw an increase in the interest in personal mobility. More and more people are embracing motorcycles as a form of transport as opposed to multiple people sharing space in one vehicle.”

Earlier this year, the company launched Husqvarna Motorcycles: Svartpilen 200, Svartpilen 401, and Vitpilen 401.

“We are always working and striving to build more models in our factory, showcasing the capabilities of our Philippine factory and the skill of our Filipino workforce,” Santos said.

In 2017, Adventure Cycle inaugurated its KTM manufacturing facility at the Laguna Technopark in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Friday, May 7, 2021

B1

Jollibee to open branch in London’s West End

Contributed Photo

J

ollibee Foods Corp. on Thursday said it is set to open its flagship store at West End in London in the United Kingdom this month as part of the company’s push to expand in Europe and attract local customers.

“Bringing Jollibee to London’s West End is part of our continued commitment to expand in Europe and bring our delicious crispy Chickenjoy to more people around the world,” Jollibee Group CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong said.

“Globally, Jollibee Group plans to open 450 restaurants across its brands this year with the long- term goal of being one of the world’s top five restaurant operators. We know customers are excited to try new restaurants and visitors will return to key tourist destinations like central London, helping to fuel the capital’s restaurant industry.”

The opening comes as Jollibee continues its crossover to the mainstream British market, which comprises 75 percent of its customers in its latest UK stores. So far, the company has sold over 3 million pieces of chicken in the UK and this is set to rise to 15 million by the end of 2022.

By 2025, Jollibee intends to have 50 stores across Europe, including its first restaurant in Spain.

West End is home to a vibrant cultural and culinary scene and a short drive from iconic landmarks, such as Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and the London Eye.

“Opening in central London in such an iconic location is a huge step forward for Jollibee. Behind the scenes, we have been perfecting our new menu items as well as planning our brand-new restaurant design.

The store in Leicester Square is designed to provide impeccable customer service. We want to provide the best experience for our customers, from ensuring each menu item is of the highest quality down to the comfortable seating,” said Dennis Flores, president of Jollibee Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia.

The Jollibee flagship store will be located in London West End’s Leicester Square and is set to open on May 20.

“Jollibee remains on track for continued growth across the UK and Europe,” said Adam Parkinson, Business Head of Jollibee Europe.

“The London community is keen to return to socializing with friends and sharing great food. Our London West End restaurant will be a fantastic place for our customers to spend time, try out our delicious menu, and just relax—something I think the UK is craving right now.” VG Cabuag

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Friday, May 7, 2021

Global port operations boost ICTSI income in Jan-March

I

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

nternational Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) saw its profits rising by 51 percent in the first quarter, as it continued to grow its global port operations.

In absolute terms, ICTSI booked a net income of $90.1 million, or 51 percent higher than the $59.6 million it registered the year prior, “due to higher operating income and significant reduction in equity in net loss of joint ventures.”

The company’s gross revenues reached $435.6 million in the January-to-March period, a 16-percent rise from $375.8 million last year,

thanks to favorable volume growth, tariff adjustments, the signing of new contracts with shipping lines and services, and the increased demand for storage and ancillary services.

The group handled a consolidated volume of 2.71 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first three months of the year. This translates to an 8-percent increase

from the 2.51 million TEUs handled the year prior.

Its cash operating expenses for the said period reached $122.4 million or about 3 percent higher than the $119.0 million last year, while its consolidated financing charges was also three percent more to $34.0 million from $33.2 million.

“ICTSI has delivered strong operating performance in the first quarter of 2021, with volume, revenue and earnings rising across our three regions: Asia, the Americas, and Europe, Middle East, and Africa. We have seen improvements in most of our terminals as economies continue to recover from the pandemic as well as significant contributions from new shipping lines and services,” Enrique K. Razon Jr., ICTSI chairman and president, said.

The company has programmed

$250 million in capital expenditures this year to complete the expansion and development projects in Manila, Australia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and for the acquisition of new equipment, as well as various maintenance requirements.

ICTSI reported in March that its profits grew by a percentage point to $101.8 million in 2020 from $100.4 million the year prior thanks to the 2-percent increase in its gross revenues to $1.51 billion from $1.48 million the previous year, and the lower cash operating expenses resulting from the continuous group-wide cost reduction and optimization measures.

The port operator’s volumes were flattish in 2020 at 10.19 million TEUs due to the pandemic’s effect on global trade and lowdown restrictions.

PERC net income up 21% in 2020

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

Y

uchengo-led PetroEnerg y Resou rces Cor p.

(PERC) booked P646 million in net income last year, up 21 percent from P543 million posted in 2019, buoyed by the full-year operations of its solar power plant in Tarlac.

PERC’s 20MW Tarlac-2 solar power plant started commercial operation in 2019.

This and the FIT-rate adjustments helped offset lower oil revenues from the company’s Gabon oil ventures due to lower average crude oil price of $ 49.72/bbl in 2020 compared with $ 64.94/bbl in 2019.

PERC is engaged in petroleum production through the Etame consortium in Gabon, West Africa and inrenewable energy (RE) in the Philippines through its sub-

sidiary PetroGreen Energy Corp.

(PGEC) that owns and runs RE power stations utilizing geothermal, wind, and solar energy.

In the Philippines, it also operates the 20-MW Maibarara-1 and 12-MW Maibarara-2 geothermal power plants in Batangas, the 36MW Nabas wind power plant in Aklan, and the 50-MW Tarlac-1 solar power plant in Tarlac.

“Due to this overall revenue and income growth, PERC maintained a healthy consolidated financial position in 2020,” it added.

Cash and cash equivalents increased by nearly P200 million to P1.2 billion, total assets remained stable atP13.4 billion while liabilities declined 9 percent to P5.6 billion due to timely settlement of maturing loan obligations.

Total equity rose 8 percent to P7.8 billion while equity attributed to parent company rose to P5.3 billion from2019’s P4.9 billion.

PH Resorts signs LOI with gaming operator

By VG Cabuag @villygc

P

H Resorts Group Holdings Inc. (PHR), the gambling unit of Davao businessman Dennis Uy, on Thursday said it signed a letter of intent (LOI) with ASKI Japan Ltd., a junket and VIP gaming operator that shuttles Japanese players to different sites within Asia.

The company said the agreement signed on Wednesday by ASKI Japan CEO Nobuhiro Imigi and PH Resorts COO Jose Angel Sueiro will serve as basis for ASKI to be a potential junket operator in PH Resort’s Emerald Bay integrated resort in Mactan, Cebu.

ASKI Japan is an affiliate of Global Mix Corp., a provider of integrated resort and casino consulting services in Japan.

ASKI Japan provides junket and VIP gaming services for Japanese

players within Asia, which include junket operations in Paradise City, Paradise Casino Busan in Korea as well as in two integrated resorts in Entertainment City in the Philippines under the Friday Club brand.

“We are very excited to get ASKI as a potential partner in the junket and VIP segment of Emerald Bay. The Japanese are no strangers to the Philippines, particularly Cebu, and we believe that Emerald Bay will be a very welcome attraction to them when it opens,” Sueiro said.

“We are looking forward to being strong partners with PHR in Emerald Bay. We want to be ready and hit the ground running when the tourism and gaming industry recovers from the pandemic. Our players are always looking for new and fun gaming destinations and Emerald Bay fits the bill with its convenient location just a few minutes from the airport and with a long and beautiful beachfront feature,” Imigi said.

Emerald Bay is currently under construction. Upon completion of the first phase, Emerald Bay will feature 122 gaming tables for mass, premium mass and junkets, 600 electronic gaming machines and 270 hotel room bays.

mutual funds

May 6, 2021 NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share

Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

202.78

8.28%

-7.74%

-3.85%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.2669

30.11%

-6.7%

1.63%

-3.51%

10.55%

-12.21%

-6.01%

-10.97%

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7174 10.39%

-7.61% n.a.

-10.76%

First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6674 0.47%

-7.01% n.a.

-10.01%

First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.7893

4.4724

-10.76%

9.78%

-5.58%

-2.97%

-9.49%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.6394

1.07%

-9.35%

-7.83%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

95.59

27.54%

-5.9% n.a.

-6.23%

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

41.5035

10.9%

-5.87%

-2.57%

-11.41%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

436.11

8.31%

-5.93%

-3.09%

-10.81%

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5

1.011

17.31% n.a. n.a.

-7.86%

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.0745

11.54%

-5.01%

-1.8%

-8.02%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

31.2979

11.01%

-5.3%

-1.51%

-9.99%

8.4% n.a. n.a.

-11.64%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.8067

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.2531

11.59%

-5.3%

-1.77%

-11.23%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

711.22

11.63%

-5.21%

-1.92%

-11.28%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.6484

10.63%

-9.49%

-5.27%

-9.81%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2319

7.95%

-7.45%

-3.26%

-10.81%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8122 11.05%

-5.58%

-2.05%

-11.5%

United Fund, Inc. -a

-5.02%

-0.67%

-9.25%

-5.03%

-1.23%

3.0121

10.3%

-15.85%

Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

95.4236

11.65%

-11.28%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities $1.249

42.45%

4.66%

8.62%

3.83%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.7451

ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

42.71%

11.13%

11.89%

4.32%

-3.33%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.6131

7.69%

-1.55%

-1.26%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.1228

7.88%

-2.57%

-0.72%

-7.11%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.4652

5.48%

-1.33%

-1.45%

-6.16%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1846 NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

1.8722

4.62%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.4886

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

15.6451

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

1.9567

-0.22% n.a. n.a.

0.46%

0.6%

-4.67%

4.77%

-1.02%

-0.76%

-7.91%

5.23%

-0.92%

-0.74%

-7.63%

6.13%

-1.99%

-0.56%

-6.56%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.3144 5.65%

-3.36%

-1.78%

-7.24%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9474

4.99% n.a. n.a.

-7.35%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.8467

6.33% n.a. n.a.

-10.8%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8287

7.33% n.a. n.a.

-11.19%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

4.81%

0.8153

-4.55%

-2.52%

-8.16%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a

$0.03802

0.05%

2.78%

1.32%

-2.81%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1382

24.42%

2.65%

5.31%

-1.04%

8.5%

8.66%

3.06%

4.59%

4.77%

0.07%

-0.04%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.651

31.01%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.2029 16.12%

Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

370.94

2.27%

3.14%

2.52%

1.912

-0.93%

0.9%

0.15%

0.62%

-7.05%

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

May 6, 2021

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FILIPINO FUND IREMIT NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE

44 104.3 81.5 24.85 9.5 44.45 9.61 21.9 28.3 55 17.9 114 74.05 1.42 3.9 7.49 1.49 0.7 154.2 2,450 1

44.3 104.8 82.2 24.9 9.55 44.5 10.18 22 28.4 56.4 18 114.2 74.1 1.49 3.93 8.1 1.52 0.72 159.9 2,498 1.08

43.5 104.8 81.45 24.8 9.59 44.75 9.5 23.4 28.1 53.05 18 114 73.7 1.45 3.9 8.1 1.49 0.72 154 2,450 1.05

44 104.8 82.35 25 9.6 44.75 10.36 23.4 28.8 56.75 18 114.4 74.1 1.56 3.93 8.1 1.49 0.72 160 2,450 1.09

43.5 103.8 80 24.8 9.5 43.75 9.5 23 28.1 53.05 17.9 113.6 73.45 1.42 3.9 8.1 1.49 0.72 154 2,450 1

44 104.8 82.2 24.9 9.5 44.5 10.36 23 28.4 56.5 18 114 74.1 1.49 3.9 8.1 1.49 0.72 160 2,450 1

2,400 2,153,620 2,032,460 180,700 45,200 4,195,000 1,000 600 827,000 880 116,300 144,910 164,080 613,000 242,000 5,000 42,000 1,000 20,640 10 178,000

105,170 225,327,788 164,944,586 4,498,775 430,132 185,612,775 9,844 14,000 23,522,315 48,280.50 2,090,872 16,527,562 12,149,765 874,590 950,740 40,500 62,580 720 3,292,935 24,500 185,720

-1,067,988 -26,144,632.50 -44,718 -62,327,795 -6,523,855 11,287.50 -5,591,224 -1,065,627.50 736,063 24,500 70

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 6.78 6.79 6.81 6.85 6.75 6.78 20,886,800 141,787,743 1.34 1.36 1.34 1.37 1.33 1.37 102,000 136,970 ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER 23.15 23.25 23.3 23.5 23.15 23.25 2,165,100 50,337,420 BASIC ENERGY 0.78 0.79 0.82 0.83 0.77 0.79 28,535,000 22,720,470 FIRST GEN 31.6 31.65 31.45 31.95 31.35 31.6 701,300 22,169,700 FIRST PHIL HLDG 67.5 67.75 67.65 68.2 67.5 67.75 66,100 4,472,907 MERALCO 270.2 272.2 272.6 273.8 270.2 270.2 135,220 36,685,410 MANILA WATER 14.86 14.9 14.82 15.02 14.8 14.86 512,300 7,645,222 PETRON 3.31 3.37 3.48 3.52 3.31 3.31 1,673,000 5,654,720 PETROENERGY 4.1 4.14 4 4.1 4 4.1 165,000 666,860 PHX PETROLEUM 12.06 12.42 12.38 12.42 12 12.42 153,800 1,903,736 21.5 21.6 21.6 21.6 21.2 21.5 86,700 1,860,260 PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER 10.38 10.42 10.38 10.42 10.38 10.38 178,900 1,859,156 VIVANT 14.06 15 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.5 10,000 145,000 AGRINURTURE 6.5 6.7 6.78 6.79 6.45 6.7 5,655,800 37,688,164 2.98 3 2.98 3.02 2.96 2.98 260,000 776,310 AXELUM BOGO MEDELLIN 50.3 79.95 80 80 80 80 10 800 12.88 13.42 13 13 13 13 3,200 41,600 CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD 20.8 21 20 21 19.9 21 3,075,000 63,901,816 14.02 14.1 14.98 14.98 13.8 14.02 691,700 9,856,176 DEL MONTE DNL INDUS 7.74 7.75 7.71 7.85 7.7 7.75 6,415,800 49,874,339 9.64 9.65 9.62 9.7 9.57 9.64 4,253,800 41,005,443 EMPERADOR 65.25 66 66 66 65 66 6,470 422,104.50 SMC FOODANDBEV FRUITAS HLDG 1.4 1.42 1.39 1.43 1.38 1.42 3,896,000 5,467,230 GINEBRA 61.5 61.55 58.3 62 58.3 61.55 494,040 30,040,161 JOLLIBEE 176 176.1 177.5 177.5 175.5 176 440,040 77,540,864 LIBERTY FLOUR 30.15 31.3 31 31 31 31 1,000 31,000 5.91 5.92 5.96 5.96 5.91 5.92 30,200 178,797 MAXS GROUP MG HLDG 0.29 0.295 0.29 0.3 0.285 0.29 3,190,000 934,900 SHAKEYS PIZZA 7.17 7.45 7.16 7.46 7.16 7.46 31,800 228,048 ROXAS AND CO 1.01 1.02 1.02 1.03 1 1.02 1,707,000 1,719,190 RFM CORP 4.56 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 1,000 4,700 SWIFT FOODS 0.136 0.14 0.139 0.143 0.136 0.136 10,010,000 1,398,230 UNIV ROBINA 131.2 131.7 128.5 131.7 128.3 131.7 516,060 67,349,104 VITARICH 0.79 0.82 0.82 0.83 0.8 0.82 3,921,000 3,205,460 54.75 56.85 54.6 56.95 54.6 56.95 380 20,983 CONCRETE A CONCRETE B 60.05 62.9 63.35 63.35 60.05 60.05 8,250 521,852.50 1.18 1.19 1.17 1.25 1.16 1.18 2,552,000 3,070,470 CEMEX HLDG DAVINCI CAPITAL 2.66 2.67 2.71 2.71 2.65 2.66 929,000 2,487,180 11.8 12 12 12 11.42 12 2,800 32,688 EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP 7.1 7.2 7.24 7.24 7.1 7.2 312,100 2,229,748 HOLCIM 5.55 5.59 5.46 5.55 5.44 5.55 131,100 722,220 MEGAWIDE 6.62 6.74 6.75 6.77 6.63 6.74 88,100 589,472 12.24 12.34 12.28 12.3 12.28 12.3 30,000 368,800 PHINMA TKC METALS 1.11 1.13 1.14 1.16 1.13 1.13 263,000 298,660 2.19 2.2 2.41 2.45 2.1 2.19 14,997,000 34,027,910 VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA 1.83 1.86 1.83 1.83 1.83 1.83 330,000 603,900 1.94 1.99 1.93 1.94 1.93 1.94 36,000 69,830 EUROMED LMG CORP 4.56 4.65 4.65 4.65 4.65 4.65 1,000 4,650 4.54 4.69 4.69 4.69 4.69 4.69 1,000 4,690 MABUHAY VINYL PRYCE CORP 5.35 5.44 5.45 5.45 5.44 5.44 4,200 22,888 22 22.5 22.95 22.95 22.5 22.5 1,100 24,795 CONCEPCION GREENERGY 3.84 3.86 3.88 3.88 3.81 3.86 8,902,000 34,347,630 9.76 9.78 9.86 9.9 9.76 9.76 492,000 4,821,852 INTEGRATED MICR IONICS 1.06 1.09 1.09 1.09 1.06 1.09 67,000 71,320 1.3 1.31 1.3 1.33 1.3 1.31 65,000 84,660 SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG 5.7 5.71 5.88 5.88 5.66 5.7 2,733,600 15,649,731

11,691,695 8,416,635 -300,760 3,449,505 -901,033.50 -23,442,234 -4,068,340 -1,649,300 -20,400 1,277,450 -26,988 57,288 2,980 -4,690,675 -426,386 8,017,668 -618,237 18,226 5,560 15,418,218.50 -35,383,754 33,274 -25,310 0 284,000 -7,814,245 -716,540 393,480 -753,368 -76,475 35,270 -357,748 415,200 1,098,690 -200,286.00 13,000 691,831

HOLDING & FRIMS ASIABEST GROUP 7.2 7.48 7.5 7.5 7.48 7.48 200 1,498 AYALA CORP 723 725 745 750 719 725 462,520 337,362,560 ABOITIZ EQUITY 34.7 35.05 35.5 35.8 34.7 34.7 1,133,700 39,614,845 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 10.34 10.38 10.48 10.48 10.34 10.38 3,540,400 36,738,704 AYALA LAND LOG 2.97 3 2.96 3 2.96 3 1,316,000 3,930,630 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.76 0.77 0.81 0.81 0.77 0.77 3,437,000 2,675,850 ATN HLDG A 0.68 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.69 0.7 446,000 308,600 COSCO CAPITAL 5.01 5.05 5 5.05 4.98 5.01 2,080,200 10,413,359 DMCI HLDG 5.33 5.34 5.35 5.37 5.33 5.34 3,987,600 21,320,515 FILINVEST DEV 7.92 8.1 7.99 8.01 7.9 7.9 273,300 2,181,920 FORUM PACIFIC 0.285 0.305 0.285 0.305 0.285 0.305 1,610,000 476,350 GT CAPITAL 510 511 523 528 510 510 127,970 65,992,325 HOUSE OF INV 3.4 3.45 3.65 3.65 3.4 3.45 173,000 590,800 JG SUMMIT 51.4 52.45 51 52.45 51 52.45 2,196,390 113,770,792.50 LODESTAR 0.87 0.88 0.88 0.92 0.87 0.87 2,466,000 2,182,160 3.31 3.43 3.33 3.33 3.31 3.31 200,000 664,820 LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP 12.8 12.84 13.1 13.1 12.7 12.8 1,517,700 19,558,082 METRO PAC INV 4.05 4.08 4 4.09 4 4.08 10,338,000 41,950,090 PACIFICA HLDG 3.53 3.64 3.67 3.67 3.55 3.66 14,000 50,630 2.7 2.71 2.71 2.77 2.7 2.71 564,000 1,530,010 PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP 1.21 1.24 1.19 1.23 1.19 1.2 40,000 47,730 SYNERGY GRID 375 376 361.4 375 361.4 375 110 39,890 SM INVESTMENTS 921 923 951.5 957 921 921 394,870 367,777,385 SAN MIGUEL CORP 114.5 114.8 114.5 115.2 114 114.8 165,160 18,953,958 SOC RESOURCES 0.67 0.69 0.67 0.7 0.67 0.68 172,000 116,780 SEAFRONT RES 2.18 2.39 2.39 2.39 2.39 2.39 3,000 7,170 TOP FRONTIER 129.3 129.8 131 131 129.2 129.3 4,250 549,717 WELLEX INDUS 0.25 0.255 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 1,300,000 325,000 ZEUS HLDG 0.236 0.244 0.26 0.26 0.235 0.236 13,280,000 3,263,680

-121,202,790 -19,943,670 -6,188,768 -101,640 -4,130 -3,111,868 -2,749,556 -750,448 -31,874,865 -57,900 -2,273,487.50 -17,219,944 -21,982,610.00 815,620 19,040 -81,743,840 -145,446 -121,997 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.63 0.65 0.62 0.65 0.62 0.65 207,000 133,580 ANCHOR LAND 7.6 8.11 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 1,000 7,600 32.2 32.25 32.15 32.3 31.55 32.2 23,977,900 769,650,910 AYALA LAND ARANETA PROP 1.18 1.26 1.2 1.2 1.18 1.18 108,000 128,490 AREIT RT 33.65 33.85 34 34 33 33.65 1,246,400 41,967,895 BELLE CORP 1.4 1.42 1.39 1.42 1.39 1.42 18,000 25,260 A BROWN 0.94 0.95 0.96 0.97 0.94 0.94 4,221,000 4,046,380 CITYLAND DEVT 0.9 0.91 0.98 0.98 0.9 0.9 1,483,000 1,366,380 CROWN EQUITIES 0.131 0.133 0.133 0.133 0.131 0.133 2,950,000 391,790 CEB LANDMASTERS 5.68 5.69 5.73 5.76 5.69 5.69 509,700 2,912,052 CENTURY PROP 0.395 0.4 0.405 0.405 0.4 0.4 1,950,000 785,600 CYBER BAY 0.325 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.325 0.325 930,000 306,550 12.6 12.64 12.72 12.72 12.5 12.64 642,100 8,097,262 DOUBLEDRAGON DDMP RT 1.95 1.97 1.98 1.99 1.94 1.95 8,176,000 15,988,180 DM WENCESLAO 6.83 6.85 6.79 6.87 6.79 6.85 31,300 214,377 EMPIRE EAST 0.28 0.285 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 20,000 5,600 EVER GOTESCO 0.192 0.193 0.192 0.205 0.191 0.193 26,340,000 5,239,570 FILINVEST LAND 1.1 1.11 1.12 1.12 1.1 1.1 5,404,000 6,002,610 GLOBAL ESTATE 0.83 0.85 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.83 58,000 48,140 PHIL INFRADEV 1.3 1.33 1.34 1.34 1.3 1.3 245,000 320,880 CITY AND LAND 1.75 1.77 1.91 1.92 1.74 1.75 6,845,000 12,383,210 MEGAWORLD 3.02 3.06 3.04 3.06 3 3.06 24,949,000 75,930,270 MRC ALLIED 0.41 0.415 0.42 0.435 0.415 0.415 20,980,000 8,914,100 PHIL ESTATES 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.54 0.56 8,783,000 4,888,100 PRIMEX CORP 3.43 3.44 3.4 3.44 3.29 3.44 4,717,000 16,020,830 ROBINSONS LAND 16.38 16.42 16.58 16.68 16.34 16.42 1,913,600 31,608,858 PHIL REALTY 0.249 0.26 0.255 0.255 0.25 0.25 590,000 148,500 ROCKWELL 1.49 1.55 1.54 1.55 1.49 1.49 85,000 130,310 SHANG PROP 2.61 2.64 2.62 2.62 2.6 2.61 150,000 390,680 STA LUCIA LAND 2.28 2.35 2.33 2.37 2.28 2.35 460,000 1,079,230 SM PRIME HLDG 33.8 34.5 33.7 34.5 33.45 34.5 6,258,300 212,650,670 VISTAMALLS 3.8 3.84 3.85 3.85 3.7 3.84 16,000 60,440 SUNTRUST HOME 1.42 1.48 1.46 1.48 1.4 1.48 589,000 836,380 VISTA LAND 3.41 3.48 3.48 3.48 3.41 3.41 844,000 2,910,630

SERVICES ABS CBN 10.98 11.04 11 11.18 10.92 11.06 125,100 1,377,866 GMA NETWORK 8.79 8.8 8.35 8.84 8.35 8.79 4,424,900 38,219,207 GLOBE TELECOM 1,809 1,810 1,843 1,845 1,810 1,810 43,965 80,058,620 PLDT 1,257 1,264 1,250 1,267 1,242 1,264 91,520 115,004,465 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.191 0.192 0.194 0.197 0.19 0.191 102,190,000 19,791,100 CONVERGE 19.08 19.14 19.18 19.26 19.02 19.14 7,518,400 144,135,308 DFNN INC 4.12 4.15 4 4.33 3.95 4.12 6,631,000 27,910,750 DITO CME HLDG 9.88 9.9 9.76 9.92 9.76 9.9 8,410,000 82,876,993 IMPERIAL 1.56 1.81 1.79 1.8 1.79 1.8 4,000 7,180 2.3 2.37 2.37 2.37 2.37 2.37 4,000 9,480 JACKSTONES NOW CORP 2.6 2.62 2.67 2.67 2.6 2.6 981,000 2,573,450 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.365 0.37 0.385 0.39 0.365 0.365 10,280,000 3,829,100 PHILWEB 2.55 2.57 2.63 2.63 2.57 2.57 99,000 257,180 2GO GROUP 8.31 8.36 8.35 8.49 8.3 8.37 16,300 136,749 ASIAN TERMINALS 15.62 15.72 15.6 15.62 15.6 15.62 1,250,500 19,507,810 CHELSEA 2.9 2.91 3 3.02 2.9 2.9 784,000 2,300,170 CEBU AIR 48.2 48.25 48.15 48.45 48.05 48.2 516,800 24,933,415 INTL CONTAINER 128.5 129 128.6 128.9 127 128.5 1,089,990 139,684,292 LBC EXPRESS 15.54 17.08 16 16 15.5 15.5 6,300 100,150 MACROASIA 4.62 4.63 4.79 4.79 4.6 4.62 1,471,000 6,822,630 METROALLIANCE A 2.2 2.23 2.2 2.28 2.2 2.23 64,000 142,140 PAL HLDG 5.85 5.95 6 6 5.8 5.9 135,900 804,890 HARBOR STAR 1.25 1.28 1.24 1.28 1.24 1.28 287,000 363,800 ACESITE HOTEL 1.55 1.61 1.55 1.61 1.55 1.61 70,000 108,810 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.086 0.087 0.091 0.092 0.086 0.086 287,490,000 25,390,590 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.89 2.9 3.08 3.15 2.88 2.9 367,000 1,092,910 GRAND PLAZA 9.69 10.58 9.67 9.67 9.67 9.67 200 1,934 WATERFRONT 0.54 0.56 0.56 0.57 0.55 0.56 810,000 450,430 FAR EASTERN U 585.5 590 590 590 590 590 30 17,700 IPEOPLE 7.36 7.95 7.97 7.97 6.4 6.4 1,000 6,934 STI HLDG 0.365 0.37 0.36 0.375 0.36 0.37 990,000 363,500 BLOOMBERRY 6.25 6.35 6.45 6.47 6.25 6.25 3,848,900 24,297,707 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.05 2.08 2.05 2.05 2.05 2.05 55,000 112,750 LEISURE AND RES 1.46 1.55 1.51 1.56 1.45 1.56 2,048,000 3,067,250 PH RESORTS GRP 1.92 1.93 1.95 2.09 1.93 1.93 5,248,000 10,478,880 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.395 0.4 0.405 0.405 0.395 0.395 3,250,000 1,287,650 PHIL RACING 5.9 6.2 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 9,600 56,640 ALLHOME 7.6 7.7 7.68 7.7 7.52 7.7 261,600 1,986,953 METRO RETAIL 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.3 1.27 1.28 783,000 996,180 PUREGOLD 35 35.1 36.7 36.7 35 35 3,898,900 138,660,875 ROBINSONS RTL 51.45 51.5 52.8 52.8 51.4 51.5 588,010 30,286,990.50 PHIL SEVEN CORP 107.5 107.9 107.5 107.9 107.5 107.5 1,540 165,650 SSI GROUP 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.2 1.17 1.17 1,153,000 1,354,880 WILCON DEPOT 18.3 18.36 18 18.46 18 18.36 3,843,200 70,510,730 APC GROUP 0.375 0.38 0.385 0.385 0.37 0.375 3,720,000 1,400,650 EASYCALL 6.23 6.67 6.49 6.7 6.49 6.7 7,800 50,643 PRMIERE HORIZON 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.09 1.99 2.02 15,072,000 30,434,200 SBS PHIL CORP 4.16 4.27 4.17 4.17 4.17 4.17 1,000 4,170

118,181,030 -5,921,610 9,400 26,600 -50,868 -40,000 -4,001,868 -1,295,820 -54,800 -68,950 -2,070,710 -21,040 -7,070 8,207,090 -2,540,400 8,119,330 -4,411,028.00 5,200 -32,025,720 162,530 -861,420 -64,859,955 -8,978,920 162,600 13,557,982 -508,320 -1,086,733 -84,680 103,700 -37,920 105,195 7,836,646 -1,259,350 18,490 -19,980 159,980 -49,060 640 -16,986,461 -1,837,580 -263,870 -8,950 -1,520,076 -45,129,875 -16,258,085.50 41,925 -318,300 27,665,368 321,280.00 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 8.66 8.85 8.9 8.94 8.62 8.85 318,400 2,807,839 -153,516 APEX MINING 1.66 1.67 1.69 1.7 1.66 1.66 1,806,000 3,019,800 -216,460 ATLAS MINING 8.17 8.25 8.38 8.47 8.14 8.17 1,269,800 10,544,606 546,769 First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4311 0.38% 3.13% 1.76% -0.9% BENGUET A 2.95 3.13 3 3.15 2.95 3.14 543,000 1,619,240 BENGUET B 2.98 3.13 3.18 3.26 3 3.16 158,000 485,870 Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.4684 -0.8% 4.11% 1.71% -3.59% COAL ASIA HLDG 0.32 0.335 0.335 0.335 0.335 0.335 10,000 3,350 CENTURY PEAK 2.8 2.89 2.73 2.89 2.73 2.89 37,000 105,740 86,630 Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.3206 3.11% 4.26% 2.73% -0.05% DIZON MINES 6.82 7.2 6.96 7.2 6.82 7.2 12,200 84,906 2.45 2.47 2.59 2.59 2.45 2.45 3,821,000 9,490,750 2,802,290 FERRONICKEL Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9583 1.74% 4.37% 2.47% -1.07% GEOGRACE 0.36 0.365 0.37 0.37 0.355 0.36 2,540,000 918,450 73,000 LEPANTO A 0.181 0.182 0.187 0.193 0.182 0.182 102,020,000 19,048,500 Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0265 0.66% 4.16% 1.81% -1.49% LEPANTO B 0.189 0.19 0.189 0.205 0.188 0.19 2,960,000 570,090 MANILA MINING A 0.015 0.016 0.015 0.017 0.015 0.016 1,182,500,000 18,873,000 Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.184 2.04% 4.99% 2.79% -0.69% MANILA MINING B 0.016 0.017 0.015 0.018 0.015 0.017 579,300,000 9,696,900 -1,747,700 MARCVENTURES 1.28 1.32 1.32 1.34 1.27 1.32 639,000 823,940 -51,600 Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7368 0.6% 4.27% 2.14% -1.04% NIHAO 1.44 1.48 1.5 1.53 1.42 1.44 890,000 1,296,530 30,000 Primarily invested in foreign currency securities NICKEL ASIA 5.47 5.5 5.53 5.62 5.44 5.47 3,768,800 20,804,425 3,726,423 OMICO CORP 0.4 0.405 0.415 0.415 0.395 0.405 380,000 152,200 ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $483.77 3.32% 3.08% 2.39% -0.02% ORNTL PENINSULA 0.94 0.97 0.99 1 0.94 0.97 602,000 591,720 -39,600 PX MINING 6.7 6.82 7.03 7.14 6.6 6.7 6,035,400 41,445,322 240,657 ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є219.72 2.69% 1.05% 1.21% 0.25% SEMIRARA MINING 12.6 12.7 12.64 12.74 12.6 12.7 1,174,900 14,907,322 3,973,162 UNITED PARAGON 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 189,300,000 2,089,600 -22,000 ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1739 -1.59% 1.71% 1.07% -8.32% ACE ENEXOR 17 17.3 17.48 17.8 16.8 17.3 187,100 3,228,400 -101,534 ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 285,900,000 3,453,000 First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0259 0.39% 1.46% 0.95% -2.63% ORNTL PETROL B 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 0.012 0.014 10,581,200,000 135,925,200 -7,000 PHILODRILL 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 50,500,000 608,100 153,600 PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.0512 -0.1% 0.54% -0.6% -3.8% PXP ENERGY 7.17 7.42 7.39 7.45 7.1 7.42 1,649,900 11,861,837 1,033,502

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.4826 3.56% 4.8% 2.23% -2.09% PREFFERED Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0627211 5.26% 3.49% 2.22% 0.65% HOUSE PREF A 100.7 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 4,770 484,155 AC PREF B1 515 532 512 515 511 515 11,000 5,642,000 Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1396 -0.61% 2.65% 1.07% -2.61% CEB PREF 44.25 44.5 44.45 44.6 44.25 44.25 301,700 13,418,265 -2,733,785 CPG PREF A 103.5 104 104 104 104 104 10 1,040 Money Market Funds DD PREF 101.3 101.4 101.4 101.4 101.4 101.4 140 14,196 GLO PREF P 507 508 508 508 508 508 1,370 695,960 Primarily invested in Peso securities GTCAP PREF A 992 1,020 994 994 991 991 200 198,370 MWIDE PREF 101.9 102 102 102 102 102 3,800 387,600 ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 130 2.04% 3.14% 2.52% 0.15% MWIDE PREF 2B 100 101 101.3 101.3 101.3 101.3 1,410 142,833 103.5 104 104 104 103.9 103.9 1,660 172,580 PNX PREF 3B First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0509 1.3% n.a. n.a.

0.27% PNX PREF 4 1,002 1,008 1,008 1,008 1,002 1,002 1,625 1,634,940 PCOR PREF 3A 1,085 1,118 1,081 1,081 1,081 1,081 4,000 4,324,000 2.89% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.3028 1.93% 2.57% 0.48% PCOR PREF 3B 1,141 1,155 1,141 1,141 1,141 1,141 3,000 3,423,000 Primarily invested in foreign currency securities SMC PREF 2C 79.6 79.7 79.8 79.8 79.6 79.6 1,930 153,854 SMC PREF 2F 78.7 79 78.6 78.7 78.6 78.7 63,300 4,976,150 Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0566 1.44% 1.73% n.a.

0.4% SMC PREF 2H 77.15 77.5 77.1 77.15 77.1 77.15 73,550 5,673,902.50 SMC PREF 2I 78.5 78.95 78.5 78.5 78.5 78.5 28,140 2,208,990 Feeder Funds SMC PREF 2J 77 77.25 77 77 77 77 700 53,900 SMC PREF 2K 75.65 75.8 76 76.2 75.8 75.8 37,610 2,853,232 - Primarily invested in Peso securities

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.2129 n.a. n.a. n.a. 7.37% ABS HLDG PDR 10.54 10.88 10.52 10.88 10.52 10.88 1,100 11,932 -10,880 GMA HLDG PDR 8.15 8.25 7.76 8.25 7.76 8.25 649,300 5,277,894 -144,564 Primarily invested in foreign currency securities

ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $0.99 10% n.a. n.a.

1.02% WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.65 1.66 1.73 1.82 1.64 1.65 919,000 1,596,470 -

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

ALTUS PROP 17.58 17.88 18.56 18.56 17.52 17.88 32,100 567,148 103,152 1 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

ITALPINAS 2.35 2.39 2.35 2.36 2.33 2.35 269,000 630,350 -18,770 KEPWEALTH 5.15 5.28 5.28 5.28 5.15 5.15 8,900 46,947 4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

MAKATI FINANCE 2.53 2.67 2.53 2.53 2.53 2.53 8,000 20,240 6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund). 7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020.

MERRYMART 4.74 4.75 4.75 4.84 4.75 4.75 4,032,000 19,281,860 136,520

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 95.45 95.95 95.55 97 95.45 95.45 39,920 3,824,829 311,360.50 newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2229

1.66%

3.95%

4.44%

0.26%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2575

-0.83%

2.26%

1.58%

-1.68%

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance

Economists: Inflation hasn’t reached peak

E

CONOMISTS at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) believe that inflation has not peaked yet and will continue to rise up until the third quarter of the year, despite the steady figure it hit in April.

In its recently published economic insight, the listed bank’s “Global Markets Economic and Financial Markets Research” said pressures to inflation may not subside until the last three months of 2021.

“Despite inflation being steady, we think it hasn’t reached its peak and it might go up further in the coming months, at least until the third quarter. The swine industry continues to struggle from the ASF [African Swine Fever] and it doesn’t know when this will end,” BPI said.

“Imported inflation might also worsen given the current rally in global commodities such as corn, metals, and oil. However, inflation pressures might subside in the fourth quarter given base effects and if the government is able to address the pork supply shortage,” it added.

The country’s inflation rate surged to above the annual target of 2 to 4 percent at the start of the year. In January, the growth of consumer prices hit 4.2 percent before surging to 4.7 percent in February.

Inflation slightly tamed to 4.5 percent in March and remained steady at the same rate in April, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported just this week.

In its February monetary policy meeting, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said average annual inflation for 2021 will likely breach the ceiling of the 2-percent to 4-percent target range. BSP’s assessment shows that inflation will likely average at 4.2 percent in 2021.

As for the implications, BPI said the expectation that inflation will continue to rise in the coming months will allow the BSP to keep its accommodative policy stance only up to the first half of the year.

“The BSP may keep its policy rate steady in the first half of the year in order to continue supporting the economy, especially at this time when the Covid infection rate is still high,” BPI said. “However, supply constraints and elevated oil prices could eventually lead to second-round effects if these are not addressed immediately.”

The bank believes that “to help keep core inflation from consistently breaching the headline target, there may be a recalibration of the policy rate later this year for the monetary authorities in order [sic] to maintain its independence and credibility.” it added.

The local banking giant also said the possibility of higher inflation in the coming months may contribute further to Peso depreciation.

“Declining returns from local investments due to high inflation could force foreign investors to sell, thereby exerting additional pressure on the Peso,” BPI said. Bianca Cuaresma

Jardeleza, Suratos appointed as EastWest board members

From left to right, new board members Atty. Francis H. Jardeleza and Atty. Armando L. Suratos and exiting board members Carlos R. Alindada and Paul A. Aquino. Photo courtesy EastWest

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ast West Banking Corp. announced that the new members to its board of directors include a former Supreme Court justice and a former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Monetary Board member.

The bank has welcomed Supreme Court Justice Francis H. Jardeleza and former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Monetary Board member Armando L. Suratos to its board after independent directors Carlos R. Alindada and Paul A. Aquino have retired from their positions.

Alindada was with EastWest for 19 years while Aquino for 12 years.

Jardeleza and Suratos join the current Board of Directors that include the following: Jonathan T. Gotianun; Vice Chairman Antonio C. Moncupa Jr.; Directors Mercedes T. Gotianun, Josephine Gotianun-Yap, Isabelle Gotianun Yap, Jose Maria G. Hofileña, Gregorio U. Kilayko, Wilson L. Sy, Nelson John M. Bona; and, Corporate Secretary Benedicto

M. Valerio Jr., a lawyer.

Jardeleza is a former SC Associate Justice, serving five years from 2014 to 2019, and a former Solicitor General from 2012 to 2014.

He is also currently a director at Ginebra San Miguel Inc., San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. and Petron Corp. Jardeleza is also a lecturer at the University of the Philippines’s College of Law. Meanwhile, Suratos is a former member of the BSP Monetary Board and a former independent director at the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp.

He is also currently a director at the Philippines Payment Management Inc. and the Philippine Life Financial Assurance Corp. Suratos is also the chairman of the ABF Philippine Bond Index Fund Supervisory Committee, the vice chairman of the Kapatiran Kaunlaran Foundation Inc. and a trustee of the Mary Johnston College of Nursing Scholarship Foundation Inc. Bianca Cuaresma

BusinessMirror

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within the global business community, covering sectors on banking, finance, insurance, brokerage, technology and leadership, among others.”

“They contacted us and relayed to us that their research team has found CIC’s efforts in the Philippines as highly recommended for the GBO Awards 2021,” CIC Senior Vice President for Business Development and Communications Aileen L. Amor-Bautista said.

“This is indeed another milestone for the agency, especially at a time when we are struggling with budget and batting for greater subsidy.”

The CIC is the only institution from

B3

30 financial institutions now bank on the cloud–Diokno

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By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said more banks are moving towards “cloud-based” technology as digitalization continues to gain traction in the industry.

Diokno said about 30 financial institutions (FIs) have transitioned towards hosting their core banking solutions in the cloud as of endMarch this year. However, the BSP

chief didn’t name the specific banks that have made the transition.

Cloud storage is a system or model of computer data storage where key institutions stash their data on re-

mote locations but can be accessed by the “storer” anywhere through the Internet.

“The BSP recognizes the greater efficiency of these digital platforms in the delivery of financial products and services and in expanding reach into the unserved and underserved market segments,” Diokno said.

He added that the BSP is expanding its own suite of models to “now-cast” and forecast key macroeconomic variables, including machine-learning based models.

Machine learning is an approach to forecasting that uses an algorithm.

Because of the quick take up of digitalization in the financial industry, Diokno said they launched a consumer payments survey in the

MV+MX=ME

N

O, “MV plus MX equals ME” is not a mathematical nor a physics formula.

But yes, it is nonetheless a formula for an effective association membership engagement strategy. Let me explain.

As a background, I wrote about Marketing General Inc.’s association membership lifecycle in my column of April 9, 2021, “ The ‘Science’of Membership Marketing.”The lifecycle consists of two main aspects: member acquisition (under which are the areas of awareness and recruitment), and member retention (engagement, renewal and reinstatement).

As a follow-through on this topic, I’m sharing my takeaways from a webinar that my organization, the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), organized last week entitled, “Stickiest New Member Engagement Program Revealed!”

The webinar was presented by member engagement specialist, Amanda Kaiser of Kaiser Insights Llc. (USA), who showed how associations can improve their new member renewal rates as well as strategies on the most effective new member onboarding programs to rely on. These and more were based on the research she undertook with

Association World Octavio Peralta Dynamic Benchmarking which explored new member connecting, welcoming, and orientation habits of over 160 associations.

To describe what membership engagement is, Amanda put out a simple formula: member value (MV) plus member experience (MX) equals membership engagement (ME).

MV represents the tangible benefits that a member expects in joining an association.

In finance lingo, it is the return of investment (ROI), i.e., the annual membership dues that a member pays to the association.

Based on studies by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), there are at least four membership values: learning (on and off-line educational and certification programs for career advancement), knowledge (technical and problem-solving

information such as case studies, journals, research, etc.), community (involvement in special interest groups, networking and volunteering opportunities, others), and advocacy (formulating position papers, rendering testimonials or public policy statements).

MX consists of actuations on how the association engages with its members like providing a sense of belongingness (e.g., during a first event attendance), a welcoming posture (upon joining), and means for connectedness (like networking sessions with peers and other members). More concrete member experiences can be created in writing engaging emails, planning first impressions, curating networking and, of course, making calls.

Another example of member engagement tool given was preparing a “problem-solution matrix” which maps out and anticipates (a) a new member’s situation, e.g., new to the profession or business, new to the career or to the organization vis-à-vis (b) identifying their specific

fourth quarter of last year.

The survey is intended to gather information on Filipinos’ awareness, ownership and usage of different payment instruments, such as cash, checking account, automated teller machines or ATMs, credit card and mobile money, among others.

“In a digital world driven by innovations, the urgent task is to keep pace with technology to be responsive to the needs of our time,” Diokno said.

“As such, the BSP fosters a supportive and innovation-friendly policy environment,” the governor added. “As an organization, the BSP shall continue to innovate with the financial sector, and shall remain a catalyst of change and an enabler of innovation.”

problem at particular situation then (c) providing a specific solution to the identified problem.

In the end, Amanda said, there is “brain science” behind this membership engagement formula since the human mind has an emotional left lobe which takes note of the experiences’ part and a rational right lobe which registers the values part.

So try this simple formula to engage fully with your members: MV+MX=ME. The column contributor, Octavio ‘Bobby’ Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific, Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives and President of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations. The purpose of PCAAE—the “association of associations”—is to advance the association management profession and to make associations well-governed and sustainable. PCAAE enjoys the support of Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the Philippine International Convention Center. E-mail: obp@adfiap.org.

Procurement woes delay new taxpayer info system

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

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HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said procurement delays prevented the tax management agency the scheduled roll-out of its Online Registration and Updating System (Orus). The BIR targeted to implement the Orus—a web-based system providing an end-to-end process for registration and updating of taxpayer registration information—in the first quarter.

Nonetheless, BIR Assistant Commissioner Teresita M. Angeles said during the “Ease of Doing Business” online summit the bureau expects the ORUS would be implemented by the third quarter. In lieu of the ORUS, Angeles said the BIR developed an “online submission application system,” or Osas, targeted to be rolled out next month.

“Between June and implementation of the ORUS, we have this OSAS to be used by the taxpayers,” she said.

Currently, Angeles said the BIR’s different Revenue District Offices are accepting applications through e-mail.

She said the BIR is also recommending the removal of the current definition of large taxpayers under the Tax Code so that the

agency can come up with its own definition of different taxpayer segmentation and then simplify the requirements for micro-scale and small-scale enterprises.

“Included in the Tax Code is a definition of the large taxpayers. That is why it’s limiting us in simplification of the requirements of the small and micro enterprises so we are recommending at the definition of large taxpayers be removed, and from there the BIR can come up with our own definition of the different segmentation and then simplify the requirements of the small and micro enterprises in their process,” she said.

“If necessary, if we can take out the annual registration of P500 for the small and micro enterprises if the top management would recommend or would approve, we would be willing to do so,” she added.

By the fourth quarter of the year, the BIR is also expecting to roll out its “internal revenue integrated system,” or Iris, which will serve as the BIR’s central tool and repository to process taxpayers’ information.

“So all of these are intended towards the [digital transformation] vision of the BIR, which is: ‘BIR will be a digitally transformed institution providing convenient, reliable and transparent service to the taxpayers,

London magazine honors CIC for reporting excellence he Philippines’s public credit registry and repository of credit information was recently awarded by a London-based publication for its efforts to advance inclusivity in the country’s credit environment.

Credit Information Corp. (CIC) was recognized in the recent awards by Global the Business Outlook (GBO) magazine for “Excellence in Credit Reporting” under the finance category.

According to the CIC, the GBO is a publication based in the United Kingdom capital “that recognizes innovations, achievements and strategies

Friday, May 7, 2021

the Philippines that won in this year’s GBO Awards.

Last year, four banks in the Philippines won in the GBO Awards under the banking category. This includes Robinsons Bank as the “Fastest Growing Commercial Bank”, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) as the “Best Investment Bank” and “Best Trade Finance Bank”, CIMB Bank Philippines as the “Best Consumer Digital Bank” and Asia United Bank as the “Best Cash Management Bank.”

“This is the first time for CIC to receive such accolade and we are honored and grateful to the Global Business

Outlook for recognizing the vital role of the credit registry in the country’s financial system,” Bautista said.

As of date, around 20 percent or 112 out of the CIC’s 585 submitting entities in production—or the financial institutions submitting live credit data of their clients to the CIC database—are already registered as accessing entities.

“The wealth of data that we manage and provide from a diverse set of contributors can lead to streamlining and simplifying loan processes for individual borrowers, MSMEs, cooperatives, and even overseas Filipinos,” Bautista said. Bianca Cuaresma

to the Filipinos,’” she said.

Last year, the BIR collected a total of P1.95 trillion, exceeding by 15.74 percent its revised goal of P1.69 tril-

lion. However, BIR’s total collection last year is still lower by 10.32 percent compared to the P2.18 trillion it collected in 2019.

B4

Friday, May 7, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

Relationships BusinessMirror

Choose your job—wisely I

N my very first stab at adult employment, I was a newbie teacher/lecturer.

The salary was so minute, I can hardly remember how much the university paid me.

Judging from the last offer they sent me only some three years ago for a teaching position again, it was probably just a few hundred pesos per hour. But it was the late 1980s, and I just took on the job as a challenge.

I wanted to prove to myself I could get a group of young students together and talk to them about Basic Photography for three boring hours, one day a week.

At the same time, however, I had already applied to a great many number of companies—thanks to our university’s efficient placement office—and took grammar tests, IQ tests, and went on dozens upon dozens of interviews with human resource directors.

To be honest, I hardly thought about the starting salaries offered to me then. Maybe because I was still living at home with the parentals, and had a safety net of sorts if the job didn’t pan out the way I had hoped. But it did cross my mind that there should be some opportunities for growth and advancement in those companies I interviewed with. I asked myself questions like, “Would I be happy selling off-the-rack

clothes or writing about it?”

Back in those days, graduates were still conditioned to think of their long-term prospects in a company, unlike today’s youth who manage to flit from one job to another in this so-called “gig economy.”

I eventually answered a call from a newspaper that had just closed, which later reopened under a new name but with basically the same editorial management. So I left the teaching job at the university after one trimester, and moved on to my exciting life in journalism. (I still fantasize about teaching again, but perhaps in my senior years, when I have less things to do.)

For a basic salary of P5,000 a month, which was apparently already a high rate for cub reporters then, I got to interview cabinet secretaries, bank executives, sugarcane planters, and other decision-makers talk about issues that affected our daily lives—like agriculture, the environment, and land ownership for farmers.

So finding out from social media how a new graduate from one of the country’s highly ranked universities turned down a P37,000 a month job offer for an entry-level marketing job because “it was too low,” I was shocked like most in my generation. Her reason for turning down the job was because she thought that with her educational background, she deserved at least P60,000, according to the employer who shared the anecdote.

What many kids don’t realize these days is that employers no longer just look at the applicant’s education, but also his attitude toward work and their values. According to JobStreet PH, as late as 2018 graduates from Polytechnic University of the Philippines were most preferred by employers,

followed by those from the University of the Philippines. Ateneo de Manila came in third, with the rest being University of Santo Tomas, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Far Eastern University, De La Salle University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, University of San Carlos, University of Cebu, and University of the East.

Why? Take it from my niece F, who works in one of the largest financial institutions in the country: “They’re masipag. They work hard and don’t have to be told what to do. They just do it,” referencing PUP graduates. Whereas, many from the so-called triumvirate of once-top schools for employment, “mahilig mag-kape and mag-chismis,” said another company executive to me. “Even their parents call us to complain, claiming their kids are working too hard.

Why daw pinapapasok ng Saturdays?”

I know many parents only want the best for their kids, because they remember how it was like for them when they were first starting out from college. But they must remember: It was exactly because of those challenges and difficulties that they are what they are today—successful and financially-stable, with the ability to give their kids the best education money can buy.

In this dog-eat-dog world, where competition to the top of the career ladder has become stiffer, education just doesn’t cut it anymore. In fact, employers will tell you that they also appreciate if the graduate has had some kind of work experience; it doesn’t matter if it’s just a job working in a parent’s company, or shoveling fries into a paper bag in a fastfood joint. The work experience builds character, and gives the employer an idea just how far the

Continued on B5

Starting a business during the pandemic

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

z

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Alexander Ludwig, 29; Sydney Leroux, 31; Breckin Meyer, 47; Amy Heckerling, 67.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Use your charm to get your way.

Less push and more attentive behavior will help ward off trouble and encourage others to bend over backward for you. Lending a helping hand will win favors that will help you reach your ultimate goals this year. Make personal happiness and love your priorities, and everything else will fall into place. Your numbers are 5, 13, 23, 29, 33, 35, 46.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Proceed with caution. If you jump into something before you have all the details, it will likely exceed what you want to spend. Use charm, and refuse to commit to anything until you are sure it is best for you. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take care of loose ends, and you will feel less stressed.

Healthy activities are an excellent way to maximize your physical and emotional well-being. Try something you’ve never done, and you will discover a new outlet and make friends. HHHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be open to suggestions, but don’t let anyone take over. Don’t take on too much; you won’t have the stamina to live up to your promises. Putting things off and being secretive about missing your deadline won’t help. HH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Work in conjunction with people who think like you.

Together you can make a difference or achieve an objective that will improve your life and surroundings. A family project will bring you closer.

Romance is in the stars. HHHHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put your energy into something that will make a difference. Work alongside people who share your opinion and concerns. Don’t take sides or waste time on no-win situations. Avoid shared expenses and indulgence. Walk away from unstable conditions. HHHHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Make plans with a friend, relative or lover. You don’t have to spend money to have fun. A lifestyle change will boost your ego and give you the confidence to share your feelings and intentions. Romance will enhance your day. HHH

By Lito Cinco GENERAL business conditions are not good at all— small businesses are closing, and unemployment numbers are record high due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, while many people only see the difficulties, there are those who see the opportunities and have the moxie to open a small businesses, a lot of them based largely online, like the couple Cedric Pasco, 25, and Anna Sofia Cinco, 27, who started an online selling business for imported Korean puppies September last year, and then converted it last March 20 into a physical shop, MINIPET Philippines, which can be found along Madre Ignacia right across ABSCBN, this at the request of their growing number of clients.

“Right now, people cannot travel nor do regular shopping, a lot are having anxiety or stress problems, and having dogs as pets is a welcome change for them.

When we first opened online, a lot of clients were hesitant unless they see the actual dogs they were buying. We were not in a hurry as we know we need to really learn about this business before expanding, and the ones we import from Korea range from P160,000 to P350,000, while the locally-bred ones are from P50,000 to P90,000,” explained the couple who between them have six dogs, not to mention Cedric’s pet snake, iguana and a gecko.

“We are focused on puppies at present but eventually we want to go into cats, hamsters, and guinea pigs for a future expansion program, and since we are the first franchisee here of MINIPET, we are looking at having five franchises in five years’ time,” said Anna.

“Fortunately, the initial capital [for a franchisee] is not all that intimidating, just enough to rent a two story space building with the second floor serving as the dog show room. We were fortunate too that our

www.businessmirror.com.ph

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Think about what you want. Find out what’s entailed if you’re going to avoid costly mistakes. Make a point to finish what you start. Stick to a plan and budget. Use your intelligence in order to avoid an argument. HHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Uncertainty will leave you at odds regarding a situation with a friend, relative or colleague. Don’t do anything that might jeopardize a meaningful relationship or your living arrangements. HHH

i CEDRIC PASCO and Anna Sofia Cinco of MINIPET Philippines

ONE of the furry adorables imported from Korea.

partner in Korea was kind enough to trust us without having to have any personal meeting, and we believe we have proven that we have earned that trust,” said Cedric, who with Anna had an imported shoe stall in Greenhills that collapsed due to the pandemic.

The couple said they get 80 to 100 inquiries from both regular and new clients on a daily basis, and even as the shop had to close due to the lockdown, “people can still visit the store to see our dogs by arrangement, and we were able to sell around 20 dogs in less than a month’s time.”

There was a time that a couple bought three pet dogs, costing almost P700,000 for their three children. They also count some noted personalities and celebrities among the store’s clients.

On the other side, there are also people now who have decided to have their pets adopted by selling or giving them away because of the costs involved in maintaining them.

“Their food alone will cost more than what people buy for themselves, and when dogs get sick and need serious medical attention, it really costs a lot. In our case, one incident with our Corgi dog cost us P60,000.

It’s a good thing our parents were there to help us,” said Cedric.

And that is why when they fully reopen the store on May 8, assuming the present condition will be lowered to a GCQ, the couple will have their own community pantry but only for dog owners, and they plan to give free dog food to pet owners.

“We know how expensive it can be to maintain pet dogs, and this is our own little way to give back to our clientele which has expanded beyond Metro Manila.

In fact we do exporting already—Cebu, GenSan, and all the way to Canada,” concluded Cedric.

There are indeed business opportunities awaiting those who look for them, and dare to take advantage of them even during a pandemic.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Protect your home and possessions. Be thoughtful about the information you share. Look for a way to stabilize your position, and bring unity and security to you and your loved ones. Keep a level head when faced with temptation. HHHHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Home improvements will cost more than anticipated.

Don’t try to get everything done all at once. Bide your time and budget wisely. You may want to impress or please someone you love, but be realistic; you can’t buy love. HHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll face opposition from a friend, relative or colleague.

Listen to suggestions, but don’t let anyone force you into something you don’t want to do. Keep your life, plans and relationships with others friendly and straightforward. HHH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Use your imagination, and you’ll come up with a plan to manipulate a situation that will improve your life and your relationship with someone special. Charm, intellect and romance will bring you one step closer to your dream. HHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are ambitious, persistent and astute.

You are intense and strong-willed.

‘tennis open’ BY CATHERINE CETTA The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 School year divisions 6 Fill with food 10 Frosts, as a cake 14 Use one end of a pencil 15 Soothing succulent 16 ___ pit (slam-dancing area) 17 Like a blunt refusal 19 Button you may click before a Zoom lecture 20 SSNs, e.g.

21 Pick up sound waves 22 Free-for-all 23 Word before “freeze” or “fry” 25 One who catches poachers 28 Abyss 30 Makes “it” 31 Loads (of) 33 Body of water between Cleveland and Detroit 37 Sushi tuna 38 “Time for a short break!”

41 Not well 42 Cookie with a green filling 44 Poster fasteners

6 Dromedary camel feature 4 47 Gawk 49 Unchangeable 53 Froyo chain 56 Adjective for Al Yankovic 57 Tempo 59 Pie ___ mode 60 Galena and magnetite 61 Fixer-upper?

64 Ridiculously funny person 65 Composer Satie 66 “To clarify...”

67 Refuse to admit 68 Chicks’ mothers 69 Items on a to-do list DOWN 1 Not so hot?

2 Wear away 3 Create a ruckus 4 AOL alternative 5 Meyers of late night 6 Greeting that’s Arabic for “peace” 7 Frighten 8 Elephant weight unit 9 Sound after a mouse sighting

0 Dunk into liquid 1 11 “You ___ have fooled me!”

12 Cosmetician Lauder 13 Gloss 18 Pleads 22 Purplish ink color 24 Prof.’s degree, usually 26 French for “state” 27 Stop sleeping 29 Amaze 31 Patriotic uncle 32 Chinese life force 33 Sign of summer?

34 Crunchy, puffed foods 35 Type 36 Golf champion Ernie 39 Octopus parts 40 Best-___ secret 43 In need of a drink 45 Sunflower oil, perhaps?

47 Chips and pretzels 48 It’s part of IT, informally 49 Zorro’s weapon 50 Like a haunted house 51 Attach, as with string

2 Choose to participate 5 54 Gloomy 55 Sailors’ tales 58 Send forth 61 “I’ve seen better” 62 “You really ___ too much!”

63 Dr.’s org.

Solution to Wednesday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Friday, May 7, 2021

B5

Sunshine Dizon moves to ABS-CBN THE action-packed series Agimat ng Agila, headlined by Bong Revilla

‘Agimat ng Agila’ scores impressive pilot rating THE weekly action-packed GMA fantasy drama series Agimat ng Agila got off to a promising start after drawing massive viewership and receiving good reviews from audiences on its pilot episode on May 1.

The original series marks the much-awaited television comeback of Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as Major Gabriel Labrador, the valiant head of Task Force Kalikasan who is chosen to be the “tagapagligtas” or the bearer of the Agimat ng Agila for his immeasurable will to protect the forest and wildlife.

The series also features the powerhouse cast including Sanya Lopez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Roi Vinzon, Benjie Paras, Allen Dizon, Michelle Dee, EA Guzman, Miggs Cuaderno, Ian Ignacio and King Gutierrez, with the special participation of Sheryl Cruz.

Agimat ng Agila posted a 16.3 percent overnight rating during its debut based on Nielsen Philippines NUTAM People Ratings.

Bong conveyed his gratitude for the warm reception he got from viewers. “Nakakataba po ng puso. I am very grateful to our viewers who saw and appreciated the result of our hard work to offer a fresh and quality viewing experience,” Bong said.

Meanwhile, viewers took to social media to express their appreciation and feedback over the show’s outstanding cinematography and wellrounded plot.

Twitter user Leo Calinog said, “Ang ganda para kang nanood ng pelikula. The cinematography is lit!”

YouTube user Stephen Benedict lauded the show’s all-encompassing theme and relatable plot: “Kudos to GMA, sa lahat ng cast and crew. Wala akong masabi, nandito na lahat—drama, action, pati na pag-alaga sa kalikasan at sa endangered species.”

This Saturday, viewers can expect more exciting developments as Major Gabriel discovers that the eagle he rescued from his encounter with illegal loggers may have been enchanted, possessing supernatural abilities.

Agimat ng Agila is directed by Rico Gutierrez, airing Saturdays at 7:15 pm on GMA.

I

MAGINE yourself trapped with a few people.

For two weeks or even more. You can’t go out and the only people you can physically interact with are those people trapped with you too.

No, it’s not the premise of an upcoming horror movie but this is the reality of the so-called lock-in taping. Thank God I am not an artista, as I cannot imagine myself doing this. Well, it’s not like Lily Monteverde or Charo Santos Concio will scramble to entail my acting services based on my looks, as I am a negative 152 in that department. I am delusional that in my mind I look like Kendall Jenner but I am not that delusional, because I know I’m more a Bruce Jenner who has had 256 botched face operations.

But for actors Sunshine Dizon and Jake Ejercito, they couldn’t wait to start lock-in taping. And why not? The lock-in taping is for Marry Me, Marry You, an upcoming teleserye also starring Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez, which will act as their debut project for ABS-CBN. Sunshine, who for around 25 years was with GMA, recently signed to transfer to ABS-CBN and disclosed that this is something she felt “she needed to do.” Even when she was still with GMA, Sunshine was vocal in her support for ABS-CBN to have its franchise renewed but beyond that, she thinks her transfer is an answered prayer.

“I’ve always asked the Lord to plant me where I will bloom, and in all the seasons of my life, I’ve trusted His will. So when this opportunity came, I just knew in my heart na ito na ’yung bagong phase,” she said at a media event announcing her transfer. She further said that she is mature enough to know that change is the only constant thing in life and she welcomes anything that will propel her forward.

Meanwhile, Jake Ejercito returns to ABS-CBN. While he was launched early last year, he didn’t get to have a project with the network as he joined a noontime musical show in another channel. But in the same media event, he exclaimed “Finally!” as he is officially an ABS-CBN talent.

But that statement—him blurting “Finally!”—can also be applied to him, being the reluctant actor he once was. Even when he was young, due to his lineage as well as matinee idol looks, offers had come left

and right but he prioritized his studies. He’s had occasional acting gigs but he was more famous as the father to Ellie, his daughter with former partner Andi Eigenmann.

But Jake is now excited to go into acting full time and considers Marry Me, Marry You as a dream project.

While he feels the pressure (Jake is part of the love triangle with the lead stars Paulo and Janine), he is happy that the Dreamscape production unit is all out in supporting him. And he knows with the other cast members, he can learn and appreciate the business more. nnn BELLE MARIANO and Donny Pangilinan engage in a game of cat-and-dog one-upmanship but will eventually fall in love in the much-awaited romantic series from ABS-CBN Entertainment, iWantTFC, and Star Cinema, He’s Into Her, which will begin airing on May 30 on A2Z and Kapamilya Channel.

Based on the popular Precious Pages-LIB novel by famous Pinoy author Maxinejiji, the He’s Into Her series is about bravely fighting for family, friendship, and love.

It is the story of young Maxpein (Belle), who agrees to live in Manila upon the request of her father who helped her pay for her grandmother’s hospital bills.

Maxpein ends up studying at an international school. As she tries to fit in, she also clashes with Mr. Popular: Deib Lohr (Donny). Her life soon turns upside down as Deib gets their entire batch to prank and bully her.

But as Deib’s pranks and bullying get worse, he realizes that in crushing Max’s spirit, he is also slowly falling for her.

Joining Belle and Donny are some of today’s rising stars such as Jeremiah Lisbo, Vivoree Esclito, Kaori Oinuma, Rhys Eugenio, Joao Constancia, Criza Taa, Ashley del Mundo and Gello Marquez.

The generational series He’s Into Her is under the direction of young upcoming filmmaker Chad Vidanes.

He’s Into Her plays on iWantTFC on May 28, two days ahead of its premiere on May 30 on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z and on Kapamilya Online Live via the YouTube and Facebook pages of ABS-CBN Entertainment. n

SUNSHINE DIZON and Jake Ejercito

Meghan wins remainder of copyright claim against UK tabloid LONDON—Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on Wednesday won her remaining copyright claim against a British tabloid publisher over the publication of a personal letter she wrote to her estranged father.

Meghan, 39, had already won most of her claim for misuse of private information and copyright infringement against Associated Newspapers Ltd., the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and the MailOnline web site. The American former actress sued over five 2019 articles that published large portions of a letter she wrote to her father after her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.

In February, a High Court judge ruled in her favor, saying the publishing of large parts of the handwritten letter was “manifestly excessive” and unlawful. The judge granted the

CHOOSE YOUR JOB— WISELY Continued from B4 graduate will go to better his life or his family—great motivations for work.

A good, basic starting salary is important for any new graduate to consider when looking for a job, of course. But having the proper work ethics, as well as looking at the growth and learning opportunities offered by a company is equally significant.

Money is a tool. But a great work experience will make one a better person. n

MEGHAN, the Duchess of Sussex

duchess’s request for a summary judgment to settle the case, meaning she won that part of the case without having to go to trial. But the court still had to decide whether Meghan was the “sole author” and copyright holder of the letter.

On Wednesday, the judge sided with Meghan’s lawyers regarding the remaining parts of their copyright claim, after lawyers representing Queen Elizabeth II refuted the defense’s claims that the letter’s copyright belonged to the Crown.

Associated Newspapers Ltd. previously said it believed that Jason Knauf, the former communications secretary to Prince Harry and Meghan, was a co-author of the letter, and argued that this meant the letter belonged to the Crown.

Meghan’s lawyer Ian Mill told the court that Knauf’s lawyers confirmed he did not write the letter, and said that

the defense’s case on the ownership of copyright in the letter “has been shown to be completely baseless.”

In his ruling in February, judge Mark Warby said the public disclosure of Meghan’s “personal and private letter” to her father Thomas Markle was unlawful. “The majority of what was published was about the claimant’s own behavior, her feelings of anguish about her father’s behavior, as she saw it, and the resulting rift between them,” he said. “These are inherently private and personal matters.”

Meghan and Harry officially stepped down from royal duties in March 2020 and moved to California with their young son Archie. The couple has said that relentless scrutiny from the British media was one of the reasons they decided to leave the UK. AP

Jessica Alba’s Honest Co. soars 44% in stock market debut

By Joseph Pisani The Associated Press NEW YORK—Shares of Honest Co., the diaper and baby-wipe seller founded by actress Jessica Alba, soared 44 percent in their stock market debut on Wednesday, valuing the company at nearly $2.1 billion.

Alba founded Honest Co. a decade ago after using baby laundry detergents that caused her allergic reactions.

Along with detergent, the company’s other first products included diapers and wipes that were sold on Honest Co.’s web site. Today, the brand includes moisturizers, mascara and vitamins. While most of its sales

come from its website, it also sells its products in major stores, including Target and Amazon. com.

The company promotes its products as using “clean” ingredients, but its image has taken a hit in the past due to product issues. Honest Co. paid $7.4 million to settle a 2015 classaction lawsuit that claimed its sunscreen was ineffective and not natural as the label said. And earlier this year, it recalled a bubble bath that may have been contaminated with infectioncausing bacteria.

Honest Co., based in Los Angeles, said it sold nearly 26 million shares at $16 a piece during its initial public offering,

raising almost $413 million. It plans to use some of the money to expand and sell its products outside the US. It has never been profitable.

Last year, it posted a loss of $14.5 million, smaller than the $31 million loss it reported in 2019.

Its 2020 revenue rose 28 percent from the year before to $300 million.

Its stock, trading on the Nasdaq under the symbol “HNST,” rose 7 percent to close at $23.

Alba, who has starred in Sin City and the Fantastic Four films, has a 6.1 percent stake in Honest Co. that was worth nearly $130 million after the stock’s first day of trading.

JESSICA ALBA arrives at the 5th annual InStyle Awards on October 21, 2019, at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Shares of Honest Co., the diaper and babywipe seller founded

by Alba, soared 44 percent in their stock market debut on May 5, valuing the company at nearly $2.1 billion. AP

B6 Friday, May 7, 2021

Fun new ways to celebrate another at-home Mother’s Day

Ending violence, ensuring jobs and rights for Filipina OFWs in a new and better normal

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HOUSANDS of OFWs, majority women, reported gender-based violence (GBV) each year. With the pandemic, they are placed at greater risk for further violence when they are left locked in with abusive employers with barriers in accessing immediate supportive services from their embassies and consulates. As of April, more than a quarter million Filipina OFWs, many of whom are domestic workers, have been displaced, repatriated, and are faced with an even more difficult situation of either struggling financially or remaining unemployed when they come back home.

Thankfully, organizations such as the United Domestic Workers of the Philippines (UNITED), Migrants Coordinating Group in Western Visayas, and BATIS Center for Women offer hope for Filipina workers. Created by fellow women migrant workers, these groups aim to support returning OFWs by helping them find sustainable solutions to their financial struggles whether it is through seeking government aid or securing local employment opportunities, among others.

Women migrant workers are also encouraged to check out the Babaeng BiyaHero helpline and mobile app that assists women by providing them with essential information and services to help them in times of distress or emergency, whether in their countriesof-destination or in the Philippines.

These include psychological support and responsive services.

In celebration of International

Channel your inner star

HAVE your kids been spending a lot of time on TikTok? Can’t blame them – TikTok has become such a hit among kids and adults alike as a platform with endless entertainment and as a space for self-expression. And what better way to bond with your kids but with the rolling-on-the-floor type of laughter and by dancing like no one’s watching?

Bust a move to the top TikTok hits and let your kids teach you how to throw it back and hit the woah. You can even bring out the actress in you and make a few of those hilarious oneminute skits with your kids. Who knows? You might be a viral momfluencer in the making!

Have some friendly competition Month of Labor, the group hosted “Babaeng BiyaHero Bida Talks: Pinay Migrant Workers Advancing a Better Normal in the World of Work”, a roundtable discussion featuring women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who gave their take on the most pressing labor issues that women face today, sharing their personal experiences in dealing with these issues and the work they are doing to promote decent work and a better normal for their fellow migrant workers.

The Babaeng BiyaHero campaign calls on government officials, stakeholders, communities, and migrant workers themselves to promote a more equitable, safe, fair, and better normal for every

Filipina by ensuring that they are equipped with the knowledge and capability to access effective and timely services that will support them throughout their migration experience. By working together, Safe and Fair Philippines hopes to ensure that a new and better normal is anchored on decent work, gender equality, freedom from violence, and safe and fair labour migration for all Filipino women workers.

Visit and follow the Safe and Fair Philippines Facebook page for more information and the latest updates. Go to the Babaeng BiyaHero website for more information about the situation of Filipina migrant workers, or if you need to contact or report any incidents.

Sun Life gears up for free vaccination program

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HE Sun Life group of companies is gearing up for its free vaccination program for employees nationwide.

“At Sun Life, the health and safety of our community have always been a top priority. This is but one way for us to uphold that commitment,” Sun Life Philippines CEO & Country Head Benedict

Sison said. “Looking at the bigger picture, this is also a way for us to support the country’s faster recovery from the pandemic.”

Over 3,000 Sun Life employees including employees of Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc., Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc., Sun Life Grepa Financial, Inc. (joint venture), Sun Life

Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc., and Sun Life Financial Asia Services Ltd., will benefit from the program.

Meanwhile, qualified Sun Life advisors will also be vaccinated for free. “While advisors engage with us independently, the company is eager to extend help in any way it can so they too can have peace of mind knowing that they are protected from COVID-19,” Sison said.

The company is now finalizing logistics so it may roll out the vaccination program upon the arrival of the vaccines.

Sun Life has been vigilant in securing its workforce’s welfare since the pandemic broke out last year. Besides the effort to retain all employees on 100% payroll, majority of them likewise continue on some form of work-fromhome arrangement. Moreover, the company has been very thorough in complying with mandated health protocols that either meet or surpass the standards set by various government agencies.

“Rising above the pandemic is possible if we all do our part. We are thankful to employees and advisors for their contributions despite the challenges of the times,” Sison said. “In the same way that we have weathered this pandemic together, we will also rise above it strongest as one.”

Global BPO’s MAXhub provides space for connection and learning while utilizing the benefits and flexibility of working from home

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HE Philippines was the first to establish MAXhubs in June 2020 in response to the pandemic to bring Sitel Group employment opportunities closer to aspiring professions in the provinces. Through these satellite sites, job seekers in remote areas had a convenient location to facilitate recruitment, onboarding, and technology and equipment distribution for Sitel at Home™ arrangements. At present, there are 12 MAXhubs in the country in Metro Manila, North Luzon and Palawan.

A global leader in end-to-end customer experience (CX) products, and solutions, Sitel recently inaugurated its first MAXhub in Auckland, New Zealand with the onsite leaders and the virtual attendance of the teams in the Philippines.

A modernized space designed for efficiency and collaboration, this MAXHub further brings to life the vision of providing a space for connection and learning while still utilizing the benefits and flexibility of working from home.

“With the launch of our new MAXhub we can expect exciting innovations,” said Daniel Huh, the group’s Lead and Operations Manager, Sitel New Zealand. “I believe that the combination

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AVEN’T decided on what to do this Mother’s Day? That’s okay. With all the restrictions in place, you’re bound to run out of ways to celebrate special occasions in the safety of your home. A movie marathon in your home theater? Been there.

Bake chocolate chip cookies? Done that.

But don’t lose hope. Here are three new things you can do that will be fun for both you and your kids. Bonus: they’ll make you look like a cool mom, too!

ANOTHER place to join them where you can’t beat them is in their favorite video games.

Choose your weapon: a thrilling race in Mario Kart, an action-packed shooting match in Call of Duty, or a frenzied team cooking game in Overcooked. Fair warning, though, these games are bound to show your competitive side.

If you want to stay away from screens, there are a lot of fun and modern board games out there for you to try. Check out Good Cop, Bad Cop to hone elimination techniques, Codenames for some challenging wordplay, and Splendor for a bit of financial strategy.

Bring your favorite resto home

REMEMBER when cooking used to be fun and not a chore? Bring it back! Invite everyone to the kitchen and challenge them to recreate their favorite meals from your family’s go-to restaurant – from memory.

It’s a great way for the kids to learn about cooking techniques and kitchen safety, too.

And for an even safer cooking experience for the entire family, use only Verified Solane LPG as your kitchen fuel. Don’t forget to take lots of reality versus expectations photos before digging in!

With a bit of creativity, this year’s at-home celebration can still be one that the family will remember for years. So go choose an activity or two with your kids, a nd Happy Mother’s Day! For safe cooking experiences with the family, order Solane via 0918-887-5555 | 0917-897-7555 or via Facebook page (https:// www.facebook.com/solane.ph).

Study: Switch to non-combustible products lead to better vascular health among smokers

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WITCHING from cigarettes to non-combustible alternatives led to early benefits in vascular function among smokers who were covered by a U.K. study.

This was based on the results of the randomized clinical study conducted by the University of Dundee for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Prof. Jacob George of Cardiovascular Medicine and Therapeutics at University of Dundee recently shared the results of the VESUVIUS Trial during the Virtual E-Cigarette Summit: Science, Regulation and Public Health.

The study, supported by good-quality clinical trial data, looked at the acute impact of switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, with the results published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Within a month of switching, improvement was seen with both the electronic cigarette group compared to tobacco cigarettes, Prof. George said.

According to the BHF website, the researchers checked blood vessel function using a test called flow mediated dilation (FMD), which measures how wide a blood vessel can open when blood rushes through it. They also measured the stiffness of blood vessels. Both FMD and blood vessel stiffness provide a measure of blood vessel health and future risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Within 1 month of switching, the groups who swapped to e-cigarettes showed an improvement in their blood vessel health compared with tobacco cigarette smokers. In both groups that had swapped to vaping, FMD increased so that within a month they were about halfway towards achieving the FMD of healthy non-smokers,” it said.

BHF also said it didn’t seem to matter if participants were vaping e-cigarettes with or without nicotine and women seemed to benefit more than men.

E-cigarettes, along with heated tobacco products (HTPs) and snus are among the noncombustible alternatives to smoking that are considered part of tobacco harm reduction—a public health strategy which aims to provide alternatives to reduce risks caused by smoking cigarettes.

Results of scientific studies show that tar and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke, causes the death and disease

associated with smoking, and not nicotine. The combustion of tobacco releases thousands of toxic chemicals.

HTPs are smoke-free devices that heat, instead of burn specially-designed tobacco units to release flavorful nicotinecontaining tobacco vapor. As the tobacco is not burned, the levels of harmful chemicals produced by these products are significantly lower compared to cigarette smoke.

Helen Redmond, adjunct professor at New York University-Silver School of Social, earlier said that the introduction of HTPs as better alternatives to combustible tobacco would translate into public health gains.

Prof. George said that while e-cigarettes are not completely safe devices, “we now have good quality evidence from VESUVIUS that they are less harmful than tobacco cigarettes from a vascular health perspective”.

Prof. Alan Boobis, emeritus professor of Toxicology at Imperial College London, said in the same virtual summit that electronic cigarettes pose substantially less risks to health than the impact of smoking conventional cigarettes.

“The evidence to date suggests that the risks posed by e-cigarettes to users is substantially less than that posed by conventional cigarettes, but at present the committee was unable to quantify by precisely how much less,” he said.

Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, managing editor of Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group and senior research fellow at University of Oxford, reported on the latest Cochrane review of electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation. Cochrane reviews are accepted as the goldstandard for investigating the evidence of potential harms and benefits of healthcare interventions.

Dr. Boyce said that while the October 2020 update of Cochrane found increased evidence of benefit for e-cigarettes with nicotine when used to quit smoking, many policymakers remain reticent to encourage their use for the purpose, citing uncertainty.

“So the evidence suggests that e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful to health than smoking but not risk free, which is a statement that I think the overwhelming majority of experts would agree with,” he said.

PH Faces of Success salutes exemplary individuals

M of our efficient work-from-home set up and the amenities within the MAXhub will boost the employee experience and nurture even more growth.”

New Zealand currently provides services to a wide variety of clients in nine different languages in 15 countries. The MAXhub in Auckland was created to give Sitel Group associates a location to learn, lead and grow. It is located on Queen’s Street and is an efficient space filled with working areas, meeting/ brainstorming spaces and learning and development spots. This hub was carefully crafted with collaboration,

productivity and safety top of mind.

“This marks a great milestone for Sitel Group in the region,” expressed Geoffrey Domigpe, Philippine Vice President of Operations, “As our very first fully integrated work-from-home setup, the team has achieved quite a feat that should be celebrated.

With the dedication of our Auckland team and the collaboration of teams here in Manila, this was a genuine display of teamwork and is just a preview of the continued success as we move forward and grow in New Zealand.

INERVA L. Mendoza, events management and marketing specialist is among the recipients to the forthcoming Philippine Faces of Success 2021. The Philippine Faces of Success award is conferred to individuals who have been nominated due to their exemplary performance and have achieved a remarkable success in their respective fields. It is being given annually by Best Magazine in recognition for their personal accomplishments and milestones that they have gone across.

Mendoza is engaged in productions of shows and event management coupled with workshops in Personality Development, Ramp Modelling and Social Graces and has been in the business for over 12 years now. She has been contributory to the development and discovering the potentials of many individuals from various sectors including showbiz.

This year's honorees of the Philippine Faces of Success 2021 are notable men and women who have accurately made an impact in their selected fields of undertaking that

EVENTS mamagement and workshops expert Minerva Mendoza is one of the honorees of Philippine Faces of Success. includes public service, entrepreneurship, entertainment, arts and culture, beauty and wellness, business and the advocating of welfares and benefits of Filipinos overseas.

Editor: Jun Lomibao | mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Sports BusinessMirror

Friday, May 7, 2021 B7

‘FIGHTING’ FOR SLOT IN TOKYO T

ORONTO—Mandy Bujold would have preferred fighting this battle in the ring.

Instead, the Tokyo Olympics fate for Canada’s best boxer lies in the hands of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after her qualifying tournament was scrapped due to the pandemic.

Bujold and her lawyer, Sylvie Rodrigue, lost their appeal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this week, leaving CAS as her last chance to box in what would be her final Olympics.

“I had been hopeful [about the IOC’s decision],” Bujold told The Canadian Press on Wednesday. “But they did not even address the issues in our letter, which is really unfortunate, right? You think of the Olympics and the principles of Olympism, you think about

Donaire shooting for 9th world title

fairness, you think about sportsmanship, you think about all these things that make the Olympics what they are, and make me proud to be an Olympian and to get this response was really tough.”

After a competitive year erased by Covid-19, the 11-time national flyweight champion had been confident she would clinch a berth at the qualifying tournament this month in Buenos Aires. The event was recently canceled amid coronavirus cases in Argentina.

With no remaining international competitions for boxers from the Americas, athletes were selected on a revised ranking system using three events between 2018 and 2019—events Bujold didn’t compete in because they conflicted with her maternity leave. Bujold’s daughter Kate was born on November 5, 2018.

CRIS NIEVAREZ has to outperform himself to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Rodrigue calls Bujold’s situation a human rights violation and discrimination case. In the Olympic Boxing Task Force’s revised ranking system for Tokyo, “it’s like Mandy has never been ranked in the world,” Rodrigue said.

“What we say is the fact that they do not accommodate pregnant or postpartum athletes by recognizing their rankings pre-pregnancy, they are violating the rights of the athletes from a gender equity and from a discrimination standpoint,” she said.

The 33-year-old Bujold had planned to retire after the Tokyo Games, and had already pushed back her departure for a year after the Olympics were postponed to 2021.

“I’ve been training for this opportunity, for this final moment to kind of close this chapter of my career, and now not even being able to have that

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TWO-TIME winner Vincenzo Nibali is given the all-clear on Monday to compete following a training crash last month. AP

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ILAN—Two of the contenders for this year’s Giro d’Italia title are returning from injury and they are very much at opposite ends of their cycling careers.

Two-time winner Vincenzo Nibali was given the all-clear on Monday to compete following a training crash last month. At the age of 36, it is likely to be his last chance of a third Giro crown.

By Josef Ramos

RIS NIEVAREZ moved closer to securing a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics by advancing to the men’s singles sculls semifinals on Thursday in the World Rowing Asia and Oceania Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta at the Sea Forest Waterway in Shinagawa-ku in Tokyo, Japan.

Nievarez, a gold medalist in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Subic, topped the repechage with a time of eight minutes and 11.40 seconds to advance to Friday’s semifinals.

Thailand’s Chanin Sinsomboon (8:39.80), Qatar’s Ali Buojallouf (9:15.76) and Kuwait’s Abdulrahman Alfadhel (9:28.97) finished behind the Filipino in the 2,000-meter race.

“We are crossing our fingers for Nievarez and hoping that he makes it to Tokyo,” Philippine Rowing Association president Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said.

MANDAUE City’s Gryann Mendoza is a marked target of Talisay City’s defense.

VisMin Cup best-of-3 Visayas finals on

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JAS Zenith-Talisay City returns to the Alcantara Civic Center after a weeklong to take on KCS Computer SpecialistMandaue City in Game One of the Visayas Leg best-of-three finals of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Friday.

The game is set at 7 p.m. with Talisay City bringing a 10-game winning streak—including two routs over Mandaue City, 77-57 last April 13 and 81-73 last April 24.

But that unscathed record has been thrown out the window with the Aquastars of head coach Aldrin Morante saying it’s all back to square one as they face an all-fired up opponent coming off inspiring victories in the step-ladder semifinals.

“We’re back to 0-0,” Morante said. “Forget about 10-0. This is the finals and we need to stay hungry and we need to stay sharp.”

While Morante admitted that practice pales in comparison with actual games, he said their scrimmages were fierce. Come Game 1, the

soft-spoken coach said he wants his players to pay close attention to KCS’ top guns—Gryann Mendoza and Ping Exciminiano.

“We can’t be complacent. We have to limit their scoring machines because they’re the ones who give life to their team,” Morante said.

“They are heavy hitters and we all need to stay focused.”

Mandaue City is coming off a grueling 74-64 semifinal win over the ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City on Thursday. Limiting Talisay’s court general Paulo Hubalde ranks high on head coach Mike Reyes’s list.

Mandaue City assistant coach Jabby Bautista said they have a tall task ahead of them but stressed they are confident their team can give Talisay a run for its money.

“Talisay is stronger, faster and bigger,” Bautista said. “But if we just play our game, play like there is no tomorrow, play like how we played against Mandaue City last night [Wednesday], I think we can do it.”

Nibali, Evenepoel among Giro favorites after injury returns In contrast, 21-year-old Remco Evenepoel will be riding in his first Grand Tour and hasn’t raced in nine months after a bad crash in last year’s Tour of Lombardy.

The 104th edition of the Giro runs from May 8 to 30 and consists of 21 days of racing, totaling 3,479.9 kilometers (2,162.3 miles) between the start in Torino and the finish in Milan.

Evenepoel is widely regarded as one of the most promising talents of his generation and the Belgian was talked about as a favorite for last year’s Giro, which was postponed until October because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But Evenepoel hasn’t raced since August after a crash which saw the youngster hit a bridge wall and go over it into a ravine, leaving the Deceuninck-Quick-Step rider with a fractured pelvis and a damaged right lung.

CANADA’S Mandy Bujold (left) knocks down Uzbekistan’s Yodgoroy Mirzaeva in their women’s flyweight 51-kg preliminary match at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August 2016. AP

in a different type of fight,” she told CP. Bujold, a two-time Pan American Games champion who was previously ranked No. 2 in the Americas, would be the first Canadian woman to box in back-to-back Olympics. Her Rio Olympics ended in heartbreak due to illness— hours before her quarterfinal bout she was in hospital on an IV. Her goal was to close her career with a

Nievarez rows toward potential Olympic ticket

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ONITO “THE FILIPINO FLASH” DONAIRE JR. will shoot for his ninth world title when he challenges reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight champion Nordine Oubaali on May 29 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Despite his age, the 38-year-old fighter from Talibon, Bohol expressed full confidence saying he doesn’t feel old and weak, having been a boxer for the last two decades.

“I am very, very confident and very, very excited,” said Donaire, who won titles in four different weights. “It’s been a very long time from the pandemic to canceling my last fight, and now all that, it’s finally happening so I have to be careful so nothing goes bad.”

He was supposed to fight the French champion summer last year but was canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. He was also all set to fight Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodriguez for the vacant WBC interim bantamweight belt last December 19 but submitted a “false positive” virus test.

For Donaire (40-6 win-loss record with 26 knockouts), those misfortunes belong to the past.

“I am always very, very disciplined. I always stay in the gym,” he said.

Donaire, who trains at the Givans Taekwondo Academy in Las Vegas with MMA star Tony Diaz, Michael Bassel and wife Rachel in his corner, said he learned a lot from his fight with International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue in November 2019.

Donaire said he lost his killer instinct in the latter rounds and lost via unanimous decision.

“The more you are here in boxing and you get old, you need to develop your killer instinct.

That’s what I need to develop more. I just came up short but I am okay with my performance so far,” Donaire added. “Now I am doing it for myself only and not for anybody else. No pressure on this one is for me.”

Oubaali, who also last fought in November 2019 beating Inoue’s brother Takuma via unanimous decision, is unscathed in 17 fights with 12 knockouts. He is four years younger than Donaire at 34.

Josef Ramos

opportunity, that’s really tough,” she said.

Both the Canadian Olympic Committee and Boxing Canada wrote letters in support of her appeal to the IOC, Bujold said.

The continental qualifiers were originally scheduled for last March, but were scrapped due to the pandemic. Adding to the frustration, the European qualifying event is still happening next month in Paris. Bujold said a European boxer with an identical story—she had a baby and took maternity leave around the same time—is just one fight from punching her ticket to Tokyo.

Whatever the CAS rules, there was never a doubt Bujold would pursue this battle to the end.

“I think about when I’m preparing for a fight in the ring, I make sure that I do everything possible to give myself the opportunity to win.

And, that’s exactly what we’re doing right now,

“I think you cannot prepare 100 percent for a race without racing but that is the risk that we took,” Evenepoel said Wednesday. “I’m just happy to be at the start finally again almost 10 months after the crash.

“So it’s almost one year without racing so my goal here is just to do well in the bunch again, [have] a lot of fun with the guys because I’ve missed racing for too long.”

At the other end of the spectrum, Nibali is looking to become the oldest winner of the Giro.

In possibly his last season of racing, Nibali did not want to miss his home Grand Tour despite undergoing surgery on his wrist just three weeks ago.

“It was a race against time and I’m very happy that I’ve won it,” said the 2013 and 2016 winner. “Since the day of the crash, April 14, I’ve done nothing but think about recovering in order to be at the Giro. AP

Niervaez’s time ranked eighth among the 12 semifinalists—Japan’s Ryuta Arakawa (7:44), Uzbekistan’s Mehkrojbek Mamatkulov (8:04), Iran’s Bahman Nasiri (8:06), Indonesia’s Mema Memo (8:07), India’s Jakar Khan (8:07), Hong Kong’s Chi Fung Chan (8:08), Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Yakovlev (8:11), Iraq’s Mohammed Al-Khafaji (8:18), Vietnam’s Hieu Nguyen Van (8:30), Thailand’s Chanin Sinsomboon (8:39) and Qatar’s Ali Buojallouf (9:15).

The top five times in the semifinals will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Nievarez finished fourth in the morning heat in 8:21.05 time, with Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov of Uzbekistan submitting a fastest time of 8:04.96.

Hong Kong’s Chin Fung Chan was second with 8:08.33 and Iraq’s Mohammed Al-Khafaji placed third with 8:18.24 time.

The weather was perfect for racing, unlike on Wednesday when the matches were canceled because of strong winds and rough waters.

medal in Tokyo.

Now with everything in doubt, it’s not easy some days to go to the gym.

“At the end of the day, I’m trusting Sylvie, I’m trusting her team to fight for me,” she said.

“So, I need to be prepared and do my part by staying ready, and staying in shape. So until there’s a final conclusion, at the end of all of this, I need to just stay ready.” AP Head Coach Edgardo Macabitas Maerina said Nievarez had to work doubly hard on Friday as he races against strong rowers from Uzbekistan, Hong Kong and Iraq.

“He had some stiffness in his shoulder due to the cold morning but he’s okay now,” Maerina said.

“Cris is a fighter and he’s ready for tomorrow.

The other Filipino bets—Melcah Jen Caballero and Jonie Delgaco and Zueriel Sumintac and Roque Abala Jr.—crashed out in their bid to earn Olympic slots.

Caballero and Delgaco clocked 8:14.30 to finished third behind Vietnam’s Luong Thi Thao and Dihn Thi Hao (7:59.96) and South Korea’s Jang Wonbeen and Kang Chaerim in women’s double sculls.

Sumintac and Abala Jr. timed 7:39.35 for fourth place behind No. 1 Uzbeks Shakhboz Kholmurzaev and Sobirjon Safaroliyav (7:10.81), Kazakhs Anastas Shashkov and Alexandr Afanasyev (7:16.53) and Koreans Hyonbo Sim and Minhyuk Lee (7:20.28).

Maerina is the first Filipino to qualify for Olympic rowing in Seoul 1988 while Benjamin Tolentino was the last to see action in the Olympics in Sydney 2000.

B8 Friday, May 7, 2021

Motoring BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

BMW opens new home of premium mobility

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Story by Randy S. Peregrino

MC Asia Car Distributors Corp., the official importer, and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, recently announced the completion of its latest and largest BMW dealership facility in the Philippines. Consist of four floors, the new RSA Motors Greenhills branch sits a stone’s throw away from Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare, EDSA on Connecticut St. corner Florida St., Barangay Wack-Wack, Mandaluyong City.

“This facility is the flagship network in the Philippines. It has been carefully designed to provide the ultimate customer experience for every guest. RSA Motors Greenhills marks a milestone for the BMW Philippine market. Not only does this facility is a huge part of our growing network, but it also represents our commitment towards our valued Filipino clients. We are extremely excited to have another facility that could cater to the needs of an even wider range of customers and guests,” said SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. president Spencer Yu.

According to Yu, each visitor to RSA Greenhills can expect a personalized tour of the comprehensive lineup of BMW automobiles and various lifestyle items. “We have everything here for men, women, kids, and adults to enjoy. Carrying forward our momentum from a challenging yet fulfilling 2020, we strongly believe that 2021 is all about recovery. Together, we are working towards a better future, not just for the local automotive industry, but for the various business sectors, more importantly for the entire country,” he added.

This 1,800-sq.m BMW facility

The newly opened flagship dealership in Greenhills.

is one of only two in the world that follows the unique Fit to BMW standards, offering a more personalized customer experience together with signature furniture pieces and design elements. The new facility creates an unmistakably BMW atmosphere while still ensuring every guest feels right at home. These features ensure that RSA Motors Greenhills proudly stands as the flagship dealership in the country, offering the most comprehensive lineup of BMW vehicles combined with key services for a complete brand experience.

On the ground floor, the main showroom floor showcases the BMW 1 Series up to the BMW Z4.

There’s also a lounge, and you can also find the instantly recognizable Isetta Café for guests to enjoy. A

Aside from BMW vehicles, lifestyle items are also available. BMW Philippines

BMW Philippines

service bay is also available on the ground floor for basic preventive maintenance work and quick diagnostics. Another highlight is the Car Delivery Room, where customers can find their new BMW ready for release, making the simple turning over of the keys an even more special occasion.

Those looking to purchase more than just a BMW automobile will find an array of BMW Lifestyle merchandise from various collections.

Ranging from BMW toys, bicycles, and even luggage, there is something for everyone across BMW’s entire catalog of items. The second floor of RSA Motors Greenhills further showcases BMW’s growing fleet with M vehicles as well as the BMW 7 Series and X7, actual luxury class automobiles with technology

and performance to match. A conveniently located lounge and café area are also available on this level to comfort discerning customers being hosted on this floor.

BMW Group Asia managing director Christopher Wehner, for his part, shared, “I have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Opening the BMW dealership, Greenhills, is a milestone for the BMW Group Asia. It not only strengthens our brand presence in the Philippines it also signifies steady growth in the region at a time when many are facing unexpected challenges. The Greenhills facility will pave the way for the local BMW network to provide a more personalized customer experience. Given today’s environment, our customers weigh every decision to leave their homes very

carefully. So, when they choose to visit us, it is better that we provide them with the best experience they can imagine.”

BMW welcomes owners and aspiring buyers to visit the RSA Motors Greenhills showroom to experience the best of the brand in the newest home of premium mobility. Under the current MECQ period, RSA Motors Greenhills will be open from Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Once local government guidelines lift the necessary restrictions, operating hours will then be subject to change.

Customers may contact the RSA Motors Greenhills Customer Relations Hotline at (+63) 917 127 1311 or follow the official Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/RSAMotorsGH any announcements.

Michael Breen is new Ford PHL managing director

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ORD Motor Company has announced the appointment of Michael “Mike” Breen as managing director, Ford Philippines, effective June 1. Breen is currently managing director, Ford Asia Pacific Direct Markets (APDM).

Breen will relocate to Manila and will report directly to Yukontorn ‘Vickie’ Wisadkosin, president, Ford ASEAN. In his new role, Breen will be responsible for continuing to drive Ford’s momentum in the Philippines, including sustain-

ing the success of its vehicle lineup and further enhancing the ownership and aftersales experience for Ford customers.

“Mike brings with him a wealth of experience gained from close to three decades of working in Ford markets all over the world. As APDM country lead complemented by his extensive expertise in dealer relations, marketing, and sales operations, I am confident that Mike’s leadership in the Philippines, together with our dealer partners, will help us improve customer

experience to further grow the Ford brand in the market,” said Wisadkosin.

In his present role which he assumed in 2019, Breen leads a team that supports distributors across 25 countries working around various product requirements and customer engagement initiatives. Under his leadership as managing director, he supported distributors to grow Ford’s presence in selected markets by introducing new products which led to a 15 percent

increase in volume and 5.6 points improvement in market share.

He joined Ford in 1993 as a customer service representative in Ford North America, climbing up the ranks while performing various marketing and sales roles. As Brand Content and Alliance Manager, Breen led the launch and execution of a groundbreaking partnership with Home Shopping Network which helped increase leads and sales as well as improved overall perception of the Ford brand.

Tugade trumpets traffic success; Nakamura pitch

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NE positive aspect arising from the extended various levels of lockdown in the metropolis is the pronounced reduction of netizen movement. That translates radically into less travels, cutting car emissions/pollution as vehicles remain grounded at home with their owners for most of the day.

Transport secretary Art Tugade took the occasion to also flaunt the merits of less human inactivity as he pointed out, very correctly, of course, that traffic flow at Edsa has improved tremendously.

He said restrictions on public transport operations and the widespread implementation of work-from-home platforms, distance learning generally adopted in education and crucial curbs on commercial/shopping thrusts have largely contributed to the easing of Edsa’s notorious jams.

“Travel time at Edsa from Caloocan to Pasay has now been reduced from nearly three hours to only around 45 minutes,” said Tugade, adding that the Edsa Busway project he implemented in June 2020 had helped reduce vehicle mobility.

The Edsa Busway putting buses in a single lane also mattered, with bus stops on the center island, or traffic median, boosting the system’s efficacy.

“From numerous plans, schemes, and proposals to decongest Edsa, having most of them either highly criticized or defied, the transformation of our main thoroughfares is well underway with the establishment of the Edsa Busway,” said Tugade, who also prides in having dismantled Edsa’s illegal bus terminals and eradicating the bus drivers’ habit of loading and unloading “anywhere they want.”

Further, Tugade said he will build in and outside Metro Manila “296 kilometers as protected bike lanes,” targeting by year’s end a total of “535 kilometers of bike lanes not only in the metropolis but also in the cities of Cebu and Davao.”

Does Tugade plan to team up with San Miguel Corp. chieftain Ramon S. Ang, his traffic-advocate counterpart in the private sector, in the frenetic fight to finally transform the Big City into a gridlock-free, superbly livable place soon?

That will be the day.

Nakamura speech

NICE to hear Honda Cars president Masahiko Nakamura say the industry is “on its road to recovery.” His speech during the recent launch of the City Hatchback: “Good afternoon our dear friends from the media. Thank you for attending our event today.

“The Philippine Automotive Industry is now on its road to recovery from the impact of the pandemic. However, various economic factors and lockdowns have slowed down our growth, making 2021 another challenging year.

Nevertheless, we at HCPI remain optimistic as we continue to navigate through these challenging times.

“To date, HCPI continues to be one of the Top 10 leaders in the automotive industry in 2020 with more than 11,700 units sold.

“Last October, HCPI introduced two new models, namely the New CR-V and All-New City. The All-New City has sold more than 1,700 units since its introduction. Today, as you have just witnessed, we are further expanding the

Michael Breen

City model line-up with the introduction of the All-New City Hatchback.

“The All-New City Hatchback is Honda’s newest offering in the B-Segment category.

With its sporty hatchback body styling, advanced technology features and ULTRA versatility, we believe that the City hatch will be a worthy alternative to the iconic Honda Jazz, but moreover, it will be a model that will make its own mark in the automotive landscape.

“So once again, we are hoping for your continued support in helping us disseminate the introduction of the City Hatchback to the public. We are always grateful for your continued presence and support. I wish everyone good health and safety always. Maraming Salamat po!”

It uplifts the heart, always, to hear the captains of industry expressing hope and inspiring words amid the pandemic that has triggered near-crippling blows to the car world.

Speaking further of the All-New City Hatchback, the company just released its genuine Modulo Accessory to accentuate the new Hatch’s outlook.

From Colene Jalalon: Modulo front under spoiler at P7,900; Modulo rear under spoiler P10,600; Modulo side under spoiler P13,000; Door visor P3,900; and, Cargo tray P2,600.

Available at all 38 Honda dealerships, customers may also purchase them at Honda’s LazMall Flagship at www.lazada.com.ph/honda-cars-philippines-inc.

PEE STOP The Tokyo Motor Show, held

biennially, has been officially scrapped this year. Considered one of the world’s Top 4 motoring events that parades concept cars and futuristic vehicles, the Tokyo bash, which I had been covering 14 straight times since 1993, will be terribly missed. Unforgiving pandemic…Nadinne Capistrano sais Toyota’s “Sanitation Spin” on May 3 to 15 allows for 20 percent discount on BactaKlenz service, 20 percent on UV Lamp & Air purifier, and 10 percent UV Lamp on Air purifier if bought separately. Visit https://toyota.com. ph/promos/vehicle-sanitation.